Regional PRofile : China
Element Suzhou features a breakfast bar .
Rosewood still sees opportunities to develop luxury hotels in China , especially in more mature markets like
Beijing , where it opened late last year .
Hot opening :
ElEmEnt Suzhou SciEncE and tEchnology town
Today ’ s Chinese owners and travelers are going green . The need for operators to deliver fresh concepts and strippeddown business models is driving interest not just to trendy lifestyle concepts but also to those that reflect an increasing eco-aware worldview .
Opening this month , the 190-key Element Suzhou Science and Technology Town , which borders Shanghai , represents the brand ’ s Asia Pacific debut . The hotel will feature bedrooms with a fluid design of modular furniture and spa-inspired bathrooms . All-day dining will be available in addition to private dining rooms and a grab-and-go pantry for quick , healthy meals .
Rosewood can tick the boxes , too
With a 55-hotel portfolio in 18 countries across the globe , Hong Kong-based Rosewood Hotel Group is hardly just a hometown hero . Its “ no-frills ” Pentahotels brand is slated for openings in China ’ s
Symon Bridle
up-and-coming markets — cities like Luohe and Guiyang . The luxury Rosewood brand will continue to focus on more mature , established markets like Shanghai . For second-tier cities , New World Hotels & Resorts will aim to leverage the MICE market .
HOTELS asked Rosewood Chief Operating Officer Symon Bridle for his take on the evolving China development marketplace .
HOTELS : What do you see as the hottest areas for growth in China ?
Symon Bridle : Nationwide , second- and third-tier cities will keep growing in terms of
GDP and living standards . However , for hotels , especially in the 5-star sector , we see that many new-build hotels in those areas are being promoted via government policy in the short term . But in the longer term , it is prudent to be cautious about the sustainability of the supply in these markets . For that reason , we remain focused on building our pipeline in capital cities and mature markets .
H : How are deal terms in China still different ?
SB : There is no difference in deal terms by region within our group . Full management contracts are still the priority . We consider the project-selection process the critical step for successful alliances .
H : Where do you see the biggest opportunities ?
SB : The lifestyle-hotel concept has huge potential in China . As a general statement , the leisure market in China is also one we are looking at closely , as we see opportunities at different price points for the domestic market , so the resort space is something we think has not yet been fully exploited .
32 HOTELS May 2015 www . hotelsmag . com