Turkey on the radar for Peninsula
The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels will be 150 years old in 2016, making it the oldest operating hotel company in the world, with its most recently announced project set to be a new hotel in Istanbul.
It will not be the first hotel in that city with the name ‘Peninsula’, but it will certainly be one of the most luxurious.
The project is in the Galata area and involves the conversion of three historic buildings and creation of a fourth close to the famed bridge.
Peter Borer, chief operating officer of The Peninsula Hotels owning company The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, said: “Istanbul is the epitome of east meets west, and is a geographic anchor. Location is always so key for us, so we couldn’t afford to miss this project and had to move quickly. It will have an extraordinary view of the Bosphorus.”
HSH will develop the hotel as a joint venture with a partnership of several local groups and it will have 180 guestrooms, ballroom, spa and restaurants.
Borer was speaking to ttgluxury in London as part of a ‘roadshow’ to meet key clients, as well as gaining an update on the group’s London project. In July 2013, the group entered into an agreement with Grosvenor for a 50:50 joint venture to redevelop the site of 1-5 Grosvenor Place in Belgravia into The Peninsula London.
Plans for the 200-room hotel are now with planning authorities, but it will be a demolish and rebuild project, with work hopefully commencing next year, Borer said.
“These things take time and we understand that – it took us seven years to complete our hotel in Paris for example; the location and the partners have to be right,” he added. “Our chairman gives us very strict instructions about where he wants to have a hotel – and for London, he said it had to be Knightsbridge, Belgravia or Mayfair. We are very patient and nor can we compromise on the final product. You should set yourself the challenge too that each hotel must be better than the last one – while always ensuring others are as good as they can be.”
The latest hotel to receive the renovation treatment is Peninsula Chicago, which launched new-look rooms and suites (pictured above) in September.
A new range of VIP exclusive access experiences have also been launched on a complimentary basis, called Keys to the City. They include a private tour of the kitchen at the three-Michelin-star restaurant, Grace; guaranteed house seats and access to the VIP intermission lounge at Broadway in Chicago performances; discounted access to 360 Chicago (formerly John Hancock Observatory) for two visits in 48 hours for the Sun and Stars experience; and a Fast Pass express line at The Art Institute of Chicago with complimentary guidebook.
Technology matters
The new guestrooms are claimed to be the “most technologically advanced in the world”.
Interactive digital bedside and desk tablets operate in 11 languages and enable full control of all in-room functions, as well as giving access to restaurant menus, hotel services, city information and attractions and TV channels. Also new in Chicago are complimentary Wi-Fi, 24-hour check-in and PressReader (with access to around 2,000 international publications).
“Implementing the new technology is not a quick thing – all the back office systems have to talk to each other,” said Borer.
“But we have a history of implementing technology that improves the guest experience; we were the first to put controls in a bedside panel in a hotel for example and in fact, we started our own technology division many years ago to ensure our development needs can be met and customised. But at the same time, we always remember that everything has to be simple to use,” Borer added.
The group is also involved in a two-phase renovation at Peninsula Beijing between this autumn and next, with the creation of the “largest guestrooms in the Chinese capital and China’s most customised in-room technology".
But he added that technology was not a replacement for human interaction.
“While keyless entry via smartphone and self check-in may be possible now at some hotels for example, we believe you still need the human touch: that’s of paramount importance as the best memories of our guests can come from these interactions,” he said.
The group has 10 hotels currently (Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, Bangkok, Manila, New York, LA, Chicago and Paris) and as well as the London and Istanbul projects, is working on a property in Burma.
Working with a Singaporean company, Yoma Strategic Holdings, The Peninsula Yangon will open as an 80-room hotel in the former Myanmar Railway Headquarters. Following extensive building renovation, it will open as the group’s smallest hotel, but probably not until around 2020.
Borer ruled out a traditional resort location for Peninsula saying the projects the group selected must always be city locations that have a strong mix of business and leisure guests. “City hotels are what we do best,” he said.
And while HSH be 150 years old in 2016 - making it the oldest operational hotel company in the world - Borer said every attempt was made to attract new and younger guests.
“’Trends’ scares me as a word, as ultimately a trend is something that doesn’t last. What we do as a brand is try and stay relevant but not trendy, if you like,” said Borer. “We are working on social media, finding the right voice for Peninsula there. And younger guests may want their information delivered differently for example, but the fundamentals remain the same regardless of the age of the guests – it’s personal service, authenticity and a sense of place that matter. As a brand you have to be sure of who you are – look at Chanel; Karl Lagerfeld doesn’t ask people what they would like to wear, he tells them.”
In examples of reaching out to a wider audience through brand partnerships, the group has tied up with Net-a-Porter to roll out a series of city and style guides, while a partnership with Beats by Dr. Dre means guests at Peninsula New York can access signature audio products for complimentary use during their stay - Chicago and Beverly Hills soon followed suit.
“We must never become predictable and always surprise and delight,” Borer said.
Recommended For You
Most read features
Your guide to tour operator news for 2025
Competitions
Upcoming events
TTG Top 50 Travel Agencies 2025
Place of registration: England and Wales.
Company number 08723341.
Registered address: 6th Floor, 2 London Wall Place, London EC2Y 5AU
