Swire Hotels

Swire Hotels 太古酒店

Industry	Hospitality
Founded	2008
Headquarters	Hong Kong
Area served	Hong Kong, Mainland China, UK
Key people	Brian Williams, (Managing Director)
Parent	Swire Pacific
Website	Swire Hotels - The official homepage

Swire Hotels is a division of Swire Properties Limited, a subsidiary of Swire Pacific Limited, a blue chip company quoted on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

Swire Hotels was formed in 2008 to create and manage small luxury hotels in Hong Kong, Mainland China and the United Kingdom.^[1] It currently counts three different brands of hotels - The House Collection, EAST and Chapter Hotels - with a total of four hotels and two new properties opening in Beijing and Exeter in 2012.

The Opposite House, Beijing

The Opposite House is Swire Hotels’ first hotel which opened in March 2008 in Beijing’s Sanlitun district. The hotel is an integral part of Sanlitun Village, an open-plan shopping center also developed by Swire Properties. Designed by the Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, the hotel has 99 rooms, including a two-floor penthouse, two restaurants and two bars.

"The ground floor lobby doubles as a contemporary art gallery with changing exhibitions" ^[2] for up and coming Chinese contemporary artists, while other sculptures and installations displayed in the public areas are permanently on show.

Since its opening, The Opposite House has been featured in a number of international listings including Condé Nast Traveller’s "2011 Gold List",^[3] National Geographic Traveler’s "Best Choice of Boutique Design Hotels 2009" ^[4] and Australian Gourmet Traveller’s "2009 Best of the Best list of the world's Top 30 New Hotels".^[5]

The name "The Opposite House", is "derived from a translation of a Chinese word, which historically described the building located opposite the main house in a courtyard where esteemed guests would stay. The name also reflects the hotel’s southern location within The Village shopping complex".^[6]

The Upper House, Hong Kong

The Upper House is located above Pacific Place in Admiralty on Hong Kong Island.^[7] Open in 2009, the hotel features 117 rooms including 21 suites and 2 penthouses. Its name is derived from the design philosophy of an "upward journey from Queensway towards Pacific Place, elevating into a house above the city".^[8]

The hotel was designed by Hong Kong-based architect Andre Fu with art acting as a major centerpiece to the structure. 350 original artworks are showcased within the premises, amongst which Hiroshiwata Sawada’s 40-meter tall “Rise” steel sculpture.^[9]

The Upper House is also house to the Café Gray Deluxe.^[10]

The Upper House was voted "Best Overseas Business Hotel" by the Condé Nast Traveller’s "Readers’ Travel Awards 2011",^[11] following other awards won in previous year. It has namely been recognised as "Best Boutique Hotel in Asia Pacific 2010" by Business Traveller Asia-Pacific ^[12] and listed in Fortune and Wallpaper magazines’ 2010 selection of "Best Business Hotels" ^[13] as well as Condé Nast Traveler US and UK’s "Hot Lists" during its first year of opening.^[14]

EAST, Hong Kong

EAST, Hong Kong is located at Island East, a landmark development by Swire Properties. Opened in early 2010, it is the first of Swire Hotels’ EAST brand that positions itself as a lifestyle business hotel.^[15]

The hotel features 346 rooms and suites, one restaurant and a rooftop bar. It was designed by Hong Kong-based architect and interior design studio CL3 Architects Ltd that it was somehow recognised by IIDA (International Interior Design Association) as "Global Excellence Award Winner" ^[16] in the hotel category for its EAST, Hong Kong project.

The hotel was listed in Condé Nast Travellers’ "Hot List 2011" ^[17] and Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia’s "Best of 2010 Southeast Asia’s Newest and Hottest Hotels in Hong Kong".^[18] Like Swire Hotels’ other properties, EAST, Hong Kong is house to a number of art pieces by local and international artists including Sui Jianguo from China, Lincoln Seligman from London and Danny Lee from Hong Kong.^[19]

EAST, Beijing

EAST, Beijing is a lifestyle business hotel, located in the Chaoyang district of Beijing, China.^[20] Opened in September 2012, EAST, Beijing is situated within INDIGO in Jiangtai – a mixed-use property developed by Swire Properties Limited and Sino-Ocean Land Holdings Limited.^[21] EAST Beijing is a 15-minute walk from 798 Art District, and 20-minute drive from Beijing Capital International Airport.^[22] The brand’s name refers back to the hotels’ location in the eastern, vibrant districts of Beijing and Hong Kong.^[23] The hotel is designed by British architecture firm BenoyBenoy, which also designed INDIGO and artworks by Chinese artists such as Wei Ligang, Ma Han and Zheng Lu are displayed throughout the premises.^[24]

A member of Summit Hotels & Resorts, EAST, Beijing features 369 rooms including 23 executive suites.^[25] Room sizes range from 30 to 70 sqm (320 to 750 sq ft).^[26] All rooms have a work station equipped with an iPod touch, along with free broadband and Wi-Fi.^[27] The Workshop, at EAST, Beijing has 4 meeting rooms available for meetings and conferences for up to 120 guests.^[28]

4 dining outlets are available at EAST, Beijing.^[29] They include Feast(Food by EAST), Domain, Hagaki and Xian.^[30][31]

The fitness centre called Beast(Body by EAST), houses a gym and a 16-metre heated indoor swimming pool.^[32]

The Montpellier Chapter, Cheltenham

The Montpellier Chapter, opened at the end of 2010 in Cheltenham, is Swire Hotels’ first Chapter Hotel in the United Kingdom.^[33] The Chapter Hotels is a collection of locally inspired hotels in the heart of British towns.^[34]

Its 61 rooms sit in a Grade II listed building that was completely renovated for the project while retaining original Victorian features, such as high ceilings.^[35]

It has been featured internationally in publications including The Sunday Times Travel as one of the "100 best hotels in the World".^[36]

The Magdalen Chapter, Exeter

The Magdalen Chapter, opened in 2012, is the second Chapter Hotel in the United Kingdom developed by Swire Hotels.^[37] This 59-bedroom-hotel is located in the heart of Exeter, Devon, close to the city’s Norman cathedral and Gandy Street’s independent boutiques and historic quayside.^[38]

Set in a 19th-century building, the hotel was previously the West England Eye Hospital^[39] and was restored by 2008 Stirling Prize winner Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios.^[40] The Magdalen Chapter has maintained original Victorian features^[41] while the interior is fitted with contemporary design and technology.^[42] Works by local artists Alison Crowther, Hugo Dalton and Kate Maestri are featured throughout the premises.^[43]

The Restaurant at The Magdalen Chapter is headed by winner of Devon Life’s Chef of the Year 2012 Ben Bulger ^[44] and guided by BBC’s The Good Cook’s Simon Hopkinson.^[45]

References

External links

Swire

• Swire Properties
• Swire Properties Fact Sheet
• Swire Pacific
• Swire Group
• Swire Hotels

The Opposite House

• The Opposite House
• Sureño
• Bei
• Punk
• Condé Nast Traveller
• Travel + Leisure
• Departures

The Upper House

• The Upper House
• Café Gray Deluxe
• Condé Nast Traveller
• Travel + Leisure
• 4 Hoteliers

EAST, Hong Kong

• EAST, Hong Kong
• Condé Nast Traveller
• Travel + Leisure Asia
• CNN Go

EAST, Beijing

• EAST Beijing
• CNN Go
• China Daily
• The Wall Street Journal
• Travel Weekly Web
• Xian Bar

The Montpellier Chapter, Cheltenham

• Chapter Hotels
• The Montpellier Chapter
• Sleeper Magazine/ The Sunday Times
• The Independent
• The Sunday Times

The Magdalen Chapter, Exeter

• The Telegraph
• Chapter Hotels
• The Magdalen Chapter
• Condé Nast Traveller
• Sheila Donnelly & Associates
• The Magdalen Chapter
• Wallpaper Magazine