Page 21 - RLI April 2019

east, Hong Kong east, Miami east, Beijing
Unscripted & tHe opposite HoUse, Beijing tHe Middle HoUse, Hong Kong tHe teMple HoUse, chengdu

Unconventional

division of Swire Properties, Swire Hotels began really feel as though they are part of the city that they are
operations over ten years ago and now operates in. This is one of the reasons customers keep coming back,
seven hotels in Asia and the US. The hotels are according to Smith. It is these unique designs that set the
a designed to offer a new experience to its guests brand apart, that and its staff. Smith believes the key to their
in locations that reflect the unique qualities of their surroundings. staff is that they don’t have standard operating procedures in
Swire Hotels promises to take guests on a mood-changing their hotels, it is instead deliberately unscripted.
journey full of surprising, memorable and intoxicating experiences “For example, if a guest would like a taxi and there are
that inspire, stimulate and rejuvenate in equal measure. none around, any member of staff has the authority to offer
The company currently operates two brands across its the hotel car to the guest without having to clear it with the
seven-hotel portfolio, the first brand is The House Collective, general manager or do any paperwork,” Smith explains.
which encompasses The Opposite House in Beijing, The Upper Swire Hotels has a very active presence on social media,
House in Hong Kong, The Temple House in Chengdu and The in particular Instagram and Facebook. This is because, due to
Middle House in Shanghai, whilst the second brand is called the architectural nature, format and distinctive look of their
EAST, which operates hotels in Hong Kong, Beijing and Miami. properties, the locations lend themselves well to Instagram.
“2018 was a very good year for us and all the properties Being based in Asia, WeChat is also a very powerful tool for
showed solid growth, particularly our Chengdu and Miami the group and this remains their main social media platform.
locations which are two of our less mature properties,” They are also looking to strengthen their booking channels,
explains Toby Smith, Managing Director of Swire Hotels. “Last their distribution channels and their online distribution
year also saw the opening of our seventh hotel, The Middle channels further with improved booking engines. With the
House in Shanghai in June which was very exciting and it has amount of e-commerce that is conducted on mobile, it has
been doing very well in the nine months since its launch.” become a key focus for the company.
At present the company is focusing on the quality of its “We are all about creating what we call soulfully individual
locations rather than the quantity, so while expansion is a experiences,” comments Smith. “We believe the experience
regular topic of discussion, time will be taken to ensure that should be uplifting and we
the deals signed are the right ones for the brand moving hope the customer has a deep “We believe our main attraction
forward, and the focus for the time being will be on locations emotional resonance with our is the service that We provide and
in the Asia-Pacific region where the brand is strongest. brand and we try to create this
When looking for new sites, many different factors are with an unscripted and authentic the people We employ.”
taken under consideration, such as the overall market, the service style.”
competitive landscape, Swire’s ability to compete, and then The group is always open to new ideas, they want to
the location itself and target markets are considered. challenge and they want to innovate. They were one of the
So how does Swire ensure its current destinations remain first hotel groups in the Asia-Pacific region to offer free Wi-
attractive and exciting to its guests? Fi, now an industry standard. They were also one of the first
“We believe our main attraction is the service that we to introduce what they call the ‘Maxi Bar’ as opposed to the
provide and the people we employ. Getting the right people mini bar, where everything except premium wines is free.
tHe Upper HoUse, Hong Kong
and continuing to keep them motivated is pivotal as they So what lies ahead and what does Smith perceive to be
swire Hotels has been created to manage soulful and distinctive hotels are the people guests interact with on a daily basis. In terms the greatest challenge facing Swire Hotels?
“The competition never stands still and it remains a constant
that break with convention. rli speaks with toby smith, Managing of the properties, we regularly reassess events that we hold challenge in terms of guest experience to stay ahead. Looking
on-site and re-evaluate changes to elements such as our
director to learn more about the brand that has steadily been growing restaurants and bars to keep things fresh,” says Smith. forward we do want to grow, and the challenge will be to
maintain the degree to which we personalise our service and the
A recurring idea behind the properties is to make them
since its inception in 2008. all feel very individual, and the team wants to make people deep understanding that we have of our guests as we scale up.”
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