Hoteliers Still Building, Renovating In Hong Kong

In spite of the challenging business climate, Hong Kong this year has seen two new major hotels open and a slew of properties renovate.

The new Kowloon-side 411-room Harbour Plaza Metropolis, which particularly should appeal to travelers wending to and from Shenzhen, China, is a minute's walk from the Kowloon/Canton railway station, as well as the Hong Kong Coliseum. The hotel also is a half-mile walk from the Tsimshatsui Star Ferry terminal. Onsite amenities include a cutting-edge fitness center with sauna, steambath and massage services, rooftop pool, eight restaurants, a 4,500-sq.-ft. grand ballroom and three function rooms.

Across Victoria Harbor at Causeway Bay lies the new 266-room Metropark hotel, featuring rooms equipped with broadband Internet access, satellite and cable television, a complete business center, harbor-view swimming pool and Jacuzzi.

Demonstrating guarded optimism about the near future, a number of Hong Kong hotels also are upgrading facilities and/or services to capture greater shares of anticipated greater traffic.

"We have seen an increase in high-level meetings, and anticipate this trend to continue through 2003," said Arthur Kong, Peninsula Hotel director of marketing. "Travel follows trade, and as the world prepares to increase trade with China, those in the higher echelons are seeing it necessary to be out here, in the front lines to strategize for their future."

The new amenities and services at the Peninsula include complimentary high-speed broadband Internet access in all rooms, meeting suites that can be locked and are completely self-contained "so there's no danger of being overheard during coffee breaks by participants from neighboring meetings," a large team of discreet security officers and an extensive CCTV network covering all public areas.

Technology upgrades also are on the menu at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, which now offers wireless connectivity and an ethernet local area network link between conference rooms.

The Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers is undergoing the first phase of a $45 million upgrade of its guest rooms. The Kowloon-based hotel on Victoria Harbor now offers flat-screen multi-channel TV, high-speed direct Internet access, electronic in-room safes and individually controlled air conditioning.

In addition, a $4 million renovation to the Sheraton's ballroom is wrapping up, which will be able to accommodate up to 800 attendees. The room also has advanced audiovisual presentation facilities, state-of-the art projection screens and high-speed Internet access.

High-tech also has impacted Shangri La's three Hong Kong properties, where high-speed Internet access via T-1 lines in every room now has been installed.

In September, the Mandarin Oriental will debut a second floor dedicated as a meeting and banqueting facility. The four new meeting rooms will bring to 13 the hotel's total.

At the Hotel Inter-Continental Hong Kong—formerly the Regent Hong Kong—a major upgrade program is underway. "We are taking this opportunity, while occupancies are down due to the current world situation, to upgrade our product. In fact, we have decided to accelerate our guest room renovations, along with other enhancements to the hotel," said managing director Jennifer Fox. Thus far, the Club Inter-Continental executive lounge has been redesigned, and extensive alterations made to the lobby and Harbourside restaurant. Work on guest rooms also is underway, but the hotel said alterations "will be carried out in such a way as not to interfere with guest services or hotel operations."

The 513-room Conrad Hong Kong recently added five additional meeting rooms on its dedicated meeting floor, bringing the total to 11. The hotel also recently added wireless connectivity in the Garden Cafe, lobby lounge and poolside patio areas.