Beijing Olympics: China awash in new luxury hotels

As Susan Spano wrote in “China’s Luxe Hotels Still Reaching for 5 Stars,” hotels in China are indeed reaching for the stars — five stars — and the growth continues, almost exponentially, it seems.

In two weeks, I’ve learned of nine new luxury hotels that are set to open in the Asian powerhouse in the next two to three years.

Just this morning, Brian Williams, managing director of the hotel side of the Hong Kong-based conglomerate Swire, talked about the Opposite House, a 99-room boutique hotel (pictured) to be opened in July (yes, in time for the Olympics, Williams said) in the Sanlitun neighborhood of Beijing.

From photos and artists’ drawings, the place promises to be an architectural stunner of sleek green glass on the outside. Interiors look modern and minimalist with Asian touches. And it’ll have a stainless steel pool, Williams said. The hotel isn’t taking reservations yet, but rates will run about $715 to $975 a night, I’m told. The Beijing hotel is the first of four planned in China, Williams said.

Wait, that’s not all.

Last week, Maria Kuhn, spokeswoman for Four Seasons in Thailand, was in our offices. Our conversation included the luxury chain’s expansion in Asia — 12 new properties planned through 2011 (Mumbai will get its first Four Seasons on May 1, Kuhn said) — and that includes five new hotels in China.

Beijing is among the Chinese cities on the chain’s list, but that hotel won’t open until 2009, Kuhn said.

— Vani Rangachar, Los Angeles Times Deputy Travel Editor

[Photo: A room at the Opposite House to open in Beijing, China in July 2008]

Permalink | E-mail | Print | Add to My Trips

This entry was posted on Friday, April 18, 2008 at 9:16 pm by Vani Rangachar and is filed under Asia, Business Travel, Global, Luxury Travel, News, Tips & Advice, Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.