Hong Kong company plans to open 10 London hotels

29 May 2014 by
Hong Kong company plans to open 10 London hotels

Hong Kong-based group Dorsett Hospitality International has announced ambitions to open up to 10 hotels in London.


The four-star Dorsett Hotels and Resorts is one of three brands developed, owned and operated by the company, alongside the d.Collection of individual, boutique-style properties and the budget Silka Hotels.

Winnie Chiu, the company's president and executive director (pictured), told Caterer and Hotelkeeper that there is the opportunity to open hotels in London under all three brands, either by converting existing offices buildings or undertaking new build projects.

She is currently looking at additional sites in Shepherds Bush, as well as locations in Farringdon, Queensway, Bayswater and Earl's Court.

"We have got to make the figures stack up, but property prices in London are rising," she said. "We are looking to pay around HK$3.5-4m (£270,000-£310,000) per bedroom, taking in account the purchase price and development costs."

Funding for the hotels will be from banks which enjoy an existing self-financed relationship with Dorsett Hospitality International, which is an arm of property group Far East Consortium International.

Set within a Grade II-listed building originally known as The Pavilion and used as a cinema, the Dorsett Shepherd Bush will retain the building's 1923 faÁ§ade, but feature a contemporary "East meets West" interior created by the group's in-house design team. It will include two restaurants - an all day outlet serving international food with Asian influences and a fine-dining Chinese eaterie.

The hotels' Pavilion spa, featuring four treatment rooms, will be located on the top floor under a glass roof. Beauty and skincare partners will include Pinks Boutiqe, Lings New York and Agera Laboratories.

Chiu is confident that the UK government will continue to simplify the visa application process for Chinese travellers who are expected to make up to 50% of the guests at the new hotel.

The key focus for Chinese guests, she said, is good shopping and value prices. "We will be able to provide both of these at Dorsett Shepherds Bush with the nearby shopping mall at Westfield and room rates at the hotel starting at £123."

Hilary Cross has joined the hotel as general manager from the same position at K West Hotel & Spa, also in Shepherds Bush. She has previously worked at the London's St Martins Lane and Kensington Close hotels.

Green light for Asian brand Dorsett to open in City of London >>

Dorsett Hospitality set to open second hotel in London >>

Kosmopolito to develop 242-bedroom hotel in Shepherd's Bush >>

The Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email

Start the working day with The Caterer’s free breakfast briefing email

Sign Up and manage your preferences below

Check mark icon
Thank you

You have successfully signed up for the Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email and will hear from us soon!

Jacobs Media is honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The highest official awards for UK businesses since being established by royal warrant in 1965. Read more.

close

Ad Blocker detected

We have noticed you are using an adblocker and – although we support freedom of choice – we would like to ask you to enable ads on our site. They are an important revenue source which supports free access of our website's content, especially during the COVID-19 crisis.

trade tracker pixel tracking