Players in the global hospitality game don’t have it easy these days. Competition is tough, particularly in Asia where new hotels open every other day. Last year, Marriott International announced that it would establish another 143 properties in Asia over the following four years, with an average of one opening per month in China alone. Other brands, eager not to fall behind, have announced similar expansion plans.
In order to attract and keep clientele in such a competitive environment, these new hotel properties need to offer the highest standards, coming equipped with the latest technology, trendiest designs and greenest of credentials. This inevitably leaves properties that are five years old or more looking comparatively outdated.
Every few years, therefore, landmark properties such as The Peninsula Hong Kong and The Shilla Seoul need to be updated, as well as older members of hotel chains such as the Grand Hyatt Taipei and Kempinski Beijing Lufthansa Centre.
This procedure, though necessary, can be costly and inconvenient, and hotels go about it in different ways – some upgrading in sections and phases, others shutting down the entire property. Here we cast an eye over eight big recent or current renovation projects in the region.
Grand Hyatt Taipei Grand Club Lounge
Grand Hyatt Taipei
This Taiwanese property’s ongoing overhaul is “the largest makeover the hotel has experienced since opening in 1990”, according to general manager David Pacey. After the completion of phase one, he commented that staying open while undergoing refurbishment is not as difficult as might be expected.
“By and large, I didn’t spend much of my time fielding negative comments, even if our guests ‘lived’ the renovation with us and, at times, had to share lifts with contractors and service staff. I think we did a good job of segregating construction from daily operations. I believe that we held our own and didn’t lose business. The guests have been really looking forward to the new rooms.”
The Taipei property is just one element of a brand-wide refresh initiative, involving Grand Hyatts in Hong Kong, Beijing, Melbourne, Shanghai and Bangkok Erawan.
Renovation period: 20 months in total, from August 2012 to April 2014.
Cost: Undisclosed.
Sections of the hotel included: All the 853 guestrooms, the Grand Club Lounge, meeting and function rooms.
Renovation procedure: During the renovation period the hotel has been split into two wings, with one operational and one undergoing renovation at any given time. The first phase was completed in May, with 40 per cent of the total rooms and suites, the upgraded Grand Club Lounge and new meeting and event venues unveiled. In the spring of 2014, phase two will finish and the renewed Grand Hyatt Taipei will be fully functional. There will be a brief period when the entire hotel will close for major demolition work from August 11-24.
New technological features: In-room media hubs, with a variety of AV input connections (for computers, smartphones and DVD players), a 47-inch flatscreen HD TV with personal audio and video connections, including a music player. An advanced high-speed wired and wireless broadband internet network is now available throughout the hotel for free.
New facilities: The 22nd floor “Grand Club Lounge”, for guests staying in executive rooms, has been expanded to 430 sqm.
New design: Eastern and Western concepts are merged to create contemporary, simple and stylish urban accommodation. This is reflected in the sophisticated selection of colours, materials, furniture and lighting. The latest interiors sport lighter hues and carpets with lively prints. Modern Chinese elements inform furnishings such as the standing lamps and minibar area, which is painted vermilion red.
New World Makati Events Gallery
New World Makati
This is also part of a wider brand initiative to refresh the New World properties. For example, sister hotel New World Shanghai Hotel is currently undergoing a US$28 million makeover, helmed by Sydney-based Diana Simpson Design and poised for a September reveal.
Renovation period: One year, from February 2012 to February this year.
Cost: US$45 million.
Sections of the hotel included: Arrival driveway, the lobby, lobby lounge, top four floors redesigned to house Residence Club guestrooms and Living Room, Events Gallery, ballroom and meeting spaces including Gallery I and Glasshouse.
Renovation procedure: The renovations proceeded simultaneously throughout the hotel, with most of the work scheduled for times when guests would be least disturbed. The top four floors were closed for 10 months, while the Residence Club Living Room was off-limits for four months.
New facilities: There’s a new events gallery, which basically serves as a showroom where guests can select banquet facilities such as floral arrangements, table settings and menus. To complement that, two new function spaces have been created: Gallery 1 on the lobby level which accommodates 30, and Glasshouse on level two which caters to 100. Both have fully equipped kitchens.
New design: The Singapore-based White Jacket design company has incorporated clean lines with a thoroughly modern vibe, and hints of Oriental influence. The driveway features a new sculpture, the lobby is decked out with gleaming marble floors, dark wood furnishings and old statement art pieces. The Residence Club Living Room, meanwhile, combines floor-to-ceiling windows with cosy corners for relaxing.
Atrium Bar Pan Pacific Singapore
Pan Pacific Singapore
Renovation period: Five months, from April to August 2012.
Cost: US$64 million.
Sections of the hotel included: The entire hotel with the exception of the Pacific Ballroom, poolside, gym and St Gregory Spa.
Renovation procedure: Everything except the above-mentioned facilities were closed during renovation.
New technological features: A new iPad check-in and restaurant menu system has been introduced, as well as Internet Protocol Televisions in guestrooms, which allow for bill viewing and express in-room check-out. Internet Protocol phones have also been installed, as well as a smart energy management system that turns off the lights and air-con when the room is vacant. In addition, iPods are used in a new housekeeping management solution to track jobs and progress, and a centralised voice mail system for guests’ convenience has been integrated into the hotel framework.
New facilities: An interactive dining space, Edge, has been established which takes guests on a culinary journey through the region and the Pacific Rim. It is located on the third floor, and seats 350. The Pacific Club on the 38th floor, meanwhile, has been refreshed to allow visitors 360-degree views of the city. A 22-metre-long bar called Atrium and Pacific Marketplace deli join the list of new food and beverage additions to the property. The popular Cantonese restaurant Hai Tien Lo, meanwhile, has been relocated to level three.
New design: Atrium, Pacific Club and the guestrooms were designed by Chada interior architecture company, while Edge and Hai Tien Lo are the creation of Blueplate, a Wilson Associates speciality food and beverage design studio. The new design brief follows a “Pacific Touch” concept, which aims to embody the unique culture, geography, design and heritage of the Pacific Rim while at the same time conveying a sense of space and calm.
www.panpacific.com/en/singapore
A Grand Deluxe room at The Peninsula Hong Kong
The Peninsula Hong Kong
Renovation period: From January 2012 to May 2013.
Cost: HK$450 million (US$58 million) was spent on the rooms.
Sections of the hotel included: All 300 guestrooms, the bar and conference centre.
Renovation procedure: For the rooms, phase one involved just the units on the 17th to 27th floors in the tower, and lasted from January to August 2012. During phase two, the rooms on floors two to six in the main building had a refresh. The new conference centre, meanwhile, was unveiled on November 27, 2012, and the iconic Bar reopened in its new first floor locale in December last year.
New technological features: The Peninsula’s renovation focused heavily on integrating high-tech touches into this landmark property. “The guest-focused technology we are unveiling will elevate guest stays to a whole new echelon of experiential luxury,” said The Peninsula Hotels’ Chief Operating Officer, Peter Borer.
Each room is now equipped with at least three fully customised interactive digital bedside and desk tablets pre-set in one of five languages: English, French, traditional and simplified Chinese and Japanese. These touchscreen tablets also enable access to the in-room compendium of restaurant menus, hotel services, the new “PenCities” virtual city guide, and TV streaming abilities, as well as 90 Internet TV and 460 internet radio channels, and come with noise-cancelling earphones. LED touchscreen panels located on the walls also offer full mastery of the in-room facilities, including mood lighting and curtain control. Wall panels feature valet call, weather, thermostat, language and privacy options.
There’s now also a 46-inch flatscreen Blu-ray LED television in all standard rooms, and a 55-inch one in suites. Other improvements include an iPod and iPad docking station, memory card reader and soundbar speaker system with powerful subwoofer. Fibre-optic cabling in each room yields powerful free high-speed wired and wireless internet access enabling guests to enjoy long distance Voice Over IP calls in-room at no charge, as well as when travelling in the hotel’s Rolls-Royce fleet.
Multiple device chargers have also been integrated into the bedside cabinet drawers, and all switches have now become touchscreen controllers. The new conference centre, meanwhile, is equipped with high-definition video conferencing and projection, and surround audio, video and lighting control as well as a Samsung touchscreen display system, wireless microphones and multi-guest interface capabilities.
New facilities: New features of the rooms include Nespresso coffee-making facilities, integrated conveniently into the entertainment centre, a matte mahogany dining table, Cassina-designed sofa and Poltrona Frau dining chairs and armchairs with extendable panels, retractable drinks coasters and a concealed magazine rack.
There’s now also a brand-new conference centre on the sixth floor, that seats 100 in theatre-style and 40 to 30 for round-table and boardroom gatherings.
New design: The in-house design team of The Peninsula Hotels was in this instance assisted by the Gettys interior design firm to continue in the same theme of classic and chic elegance, but in a more up-to-date way. This was done by employing a palette of cream, bone, caramel, walnut and dark chocolate throughout the rooms, which complements sophisticated furnishings such as a leather-finish wardrobes and wall panels, vintage trunk-inspired drawer handles and Chinese ink paintings. There’s now also a whimsical touch added to the room walls, through bronze-lacquered floral compositions.
www.peninsula.com/hong_kong/en/default.aspx
The outdoor pool at The Shilla Seoul
The Shilla Seoul
This 40-year-old landmark property in downtown Seoul has just completed an extensive overhaul – the first in 19 years since the partial renewal in 1994.
Renovation period: Six months, from January to July this year.
Cost: Undisclosed.
Sections of the hotel included: Guestrooms, fitness centre, indoor and outdoor pools, executive lounge, meeting rooms and restaurants.
Renovation procedure: Entire hotel closed.
New technological features: Samsung-based in-room technology, including a 55-inch smart TV.
New facilities: Bigger rooms, the executive floor lounge has been moved to the 23rd floor, the pool will be completely updated with an open kitchen and bar, and 15 different-sized cabanas.
New design: Hospitality interior designer Peter Remedios, who has worked on iconic hotels throughout the world, had an ambitious vision to create a new benchmark for modern yet classic design in Asia. To this effect, luxurious materials have been integrated with clean lines, subtle Asian touches and a distinct avoidance of bold, bright colours.
The Kaifeng meeting room at Kempinski Hotel Beijing
Kempinski Hotel Beijing Lufthansa Center
Renovation period: Just over one month, from July 15 of this year until the end of August.
Cost: RMB3.4 million (US$554,746).
Sections of the hotel included: The meeting facilities, including the Kaifeng room, ballrooms A, B and C, and the Beijing Room.
Renovation procedure: All meeting areas will be closed for 45 days during the renovation period.
New technological features: None.
New facilities: No.
New design: The Pearl River Decoration Company has created a warmer design with a golden brown colour scheme and wooden panels, dense curtains and a new carpet. A new partition wall between A, B and C meeting rooms has been created, with better soundproofing.
www.kempinski.com/en/beijing/hotel-lufthansa-center
The Lion Rock Bar at the Royal Plaza Hong Kong
Royal Plaza Hong Kong
Renovation period: Started March 2012 and ongoing. Expected completion date is the end of this year.
Cost: HK$680 million (US$87.4 million).
Sections of the hotel included: The hotel’s 699 rooms, the club lounge, public areas, all function rooms, Cantonese restaurant Di King Heen and Lion Rock bar, as well as the gym and the swimming pool. The grand and junior ballrooms have been renovated, and there is a brand-new “Royal Room”.
Renovation procedure: In two phases, phase one was from March to October last year; phase two started in November 2012 and is ongoing. The second phase involves some guestrooms and the Grand Ballroom on level 6.
New technological features: The renovated rooms now have a 40- or 46-inch LED TV with 60 TV channels, plus video on demand. Royal Club rooms have TVs in the bathrooms. There’s also a USB charging socket on the wall.
New facilities: Lion Rock Bar on level 3, and a 110 sqm “Royal Room” that can be subdivided into three 37 sqm areas fitting 40 to 120 people in theatre or classroom style.
New design: Hirsch Bedner Associates Design Consultant, which has designed international five-star hotels such as Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, Marriott and Sheraton, took inspiration from the hotel’s location in a valley away from the bustling city. There is a relaxed, resort-style feel to the furnishings, with lots of natural materials incorporated such as textured walls, twisted wood panel finishes and timber night tables.
The gym at the Kerry Hotel, Beijing
Kerry Hotel, Beijing
Renovation period: It started in December 2010 and is ongoing.
Cost: Undisclosed.
Sections of the hotel included: All.
Renovation procedure: The reason behind the extended renovation period at Kerry Hotel, Beijing is due to its staggered approach. The lobby, driveway, façade, entrance portico, third-floor function rooms, grand ballroom, Kowloon ballroom and business centre were all individually worked on while the suites, presidential suite and club lounge were all staggered and have completed renovation. Standard guestrooms were also done in batches: levels 17-21, levels 11-16 and levels 5-10. All-day dining outlet Kerry's Kitchen and coffee shop Kerry's Pantry were then introduced, followed by the renovation of Horizon Chinese Restaurant. The only area still undergoing a refresh is the rooftop garden and part of the sports centre.
New technological features: Post-renovation the Kerry Hotel became the first Shangri-La brand property to have paperless check-in and check-out. In the rooms, automatic toilets were installed, as was an integrated media hub that allows you to connect with other devices. Wifi has been introduced to hotel vehicles (as well as Facetime) and the upgraded gym equipment is also wifi-enabled.
New facilities: The Kerry sports facility has increased from 6,000 to 7,000 sqm. Total renovation cost for the sports centre alone was RMB35 million (US$5.7 million).
New design: Kerry Hotel has managed to strike an impressive balance, maintaining the elaborate style of the brand and not compromising the modernity of the design. There are abstract-art carpets and unconventional inkwork combined with art pieces by Chinese masters, water features and chandeliers. www.shangri-la.com/beijing/kerry
