Image good for business
Competition gives high-value experience for guests
Visitors to Chengdu are spoilt for choice with a number of luxury hotels opening over the past year and more in the pipeline. However, there's unlikely to be a price war as demand will continue to be fuelled by increased business activities in the city.
"In recent years, Chengdu has attracted the attention from both within China and globally," says Coco Ren, director of sales and marketing of Grand Hyatt Chengdu, which is expected to open in the second half of this year.
"It not only has a good image as an international tourist city, it also possesses favourable conditions such as more direct flights to international cities."
Chengdu's economic power has risen dramatically in recent times, and this will bring greater business opportunities to southwest China and make the city the optimal choice for corporations wanting to enter the region, says Bill Fisher, general manager of Hilton Chengdu which will open later this month.
Fisher believes that despite the growth in the number of hotel rooms in the city, competition among hotels will be healthy and this will keep the industry focused on delivering a high-value experience to guests.
Hotels which have opened in the city in the past year include the Diaoyutai Boutique Hotel, St Regis, Niccolo, The Temple House, and Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain. They will be joined by the Hilton and the Grand Hyatt before the end of this year. Since its opening in the last quarter of 2014, the Diaoyutai Boutique Hotel has found its niche by focusing on middle- to upper-tier customers. Designed by renowned French architect Bruno Moinard, the hotel consists of two adjoining courtyards integrating Western and Oriental designs. It offers 45 rooms, featuring 26 different designs and relatively large rooms from 55 to 145 square metres.
Matthew Lai, general manager of the hotel, says although the hotel is located near the busy tourist attraction of Kuanzhai Xiangzi, guests can enjoy tranquillity separate from the immediate surroundings. He says the hotel strives to provide personalised services, such as providing a bathrobe with the guest's name on it. In the coming year, it plans to target global markets, and will use new technology to improve services.
Business has stabilised after about a year of St Regis being open, according to Bryan Leong, director of sales and marketing. He said as a new luxury hotel, it takes time to be recognised by the market, especially corporate clients who need to justify the higher room rates they pay. He believes the hotel is competitive because of several unique selling points, such as bigger rooms (at least 65 square metres) and full butler services for all hotel guests.
Leong says a more flexible pricing strategy is needed to get more business. "While maintaining our brand reputation and standards, we can be more flexible on the rates for certain business clients."
Among the new hotels to have opened this year, The Temple House is noted for its architectural designs which integrate Oriental and Western cultures, while preserving the location's rich history - the Daci Temple, which has a history of nearly 2,000 years, is nearby. Located within the Taikoo Li multipurpose complex, the hotel is composed of four main structures; the 100-room hotel tower and 42-unit residential tower display modern architecture, while the guest arrivals building and the spa building are restored traditional courtyards.
Overlooking Taikoo Li is the Niccolo hotel which is part of the Chengdu IFS (International Finance Square) mixed-development complex, which includes a huge shopping mall and office towers. Since its soft opening in April, the Niccolo has become a trendy spot for high-profile product launches and marketing events hosted by luxury brands and the entertainment industry. According to a hotel spokesperson, because of its luxury image, the hotel is popular among those aged in their thirties and forties.
The 230-room hotel is first of a new urban luxury chain operated by Marco Polo Hotels. The Niccolo brand is named after the father of the legendary Italian merchant traveller Marco Polo. It offers a variety of meeting and event venues. Located on the seventh floor, the 750-square-metre Niccolo Ballroom can be divided into three separate function rooms that can accommodate up to 1,000 people. Its pillar-less hall has an eight-metre-high ceiling. In addition, there are medium- and smaller-sized function rooms.
The impressive foyer is located between the ballroom and the sculpture garden of the IFS complex. With one side of windows and glass doors leading to the garden, this is ideal for cocktail parties, social gatherings and other functions. Overlooking the sculpture garden, the oval-shaped Conservatory surrounded by water and grass is an idea venue for wedding, engagement, banquet and special celebrations.
The Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain, opening this month, is the only resort hotel opening in Chengdu and the first one by the Bangkok-based hotel group in China. "With more than half of the word's top 500 companies setting foot in Chengdu, it make senses for Six Senses to have its first property in China in the city," says Michael Murphy, general manager of the hotel.
The hotel has been designed to incorporate the local architecture and landscaping, with 113 suites and villas, and three restaurants. To contribute to the local community, the hotel employs staff from the neighbourhood and sources some of its supplies and produce locally. It also keeps its own farm, recycles its waste and bottles its own water.
Murphy says with its quiet and nature-inspired setting, the hotel targets holiday visitors and corporate clients. The resort's meeting facilities can accommodate up to 35 guests, but this will be expanded to more than 220 with the opening of its ballroom in the third quarter of 2016.
Hilton Chengdu is located in the Tianfu New District, easily accessible by car and subway from the city centre. The hotel has 395 stylish guestrooms with remarkable views of the new central business district. It offers a range of meeting and event space, six restaurants and bars, and the highest swimming pool in the city.
The hotel is only five minutes away from the new international convention and exhibition centre, which is expected to generate good corporate business for the hotel. It offers 14 well-equipped meeting rooms with a total area of 1,650 square metres. With a six-metre-high ceiling, the pillar-less grand ballroom has an area of 790 square metres and can accommodate up to 300 guests for dinners. It is accessible by car directly, which is ideal for trade exhibition and car shows.
Another new hotel, Grand Hyatt Chengdu, is located at the Jinjiang District in the heart of the city. The hotel offers 390 guestrooms, including 101 luxury suites. It offers more than 3,000 square metres of flexible meeting and event space, including the grand ballroom with an eight-metre-high ceiling, featuring a residential-style foyer, and a 1,000-square-metre outdoor French-style garden.
There are nine multifunction rooms, seven of which have separate living areas and two have private kitchens. The hotel will make use of local attractions, such as the only Sichuan hotpot restaurant in a five-star hotel, an entertainment room that integrates Chengdu's mahjong culture, and an outdoor garden for barbecues.