After much anticipation, Shenzhen is getting new blood in the luxury hotel market. Over the next three months, both the 390-room Kempinski and the 391-room Marco Polo are set to open, heralding a new phase of the city’s development.
The Marco Polo has announced its opening date: August 19, and it will start taking reservations on September 1. The Kempinski is expected to announce its opening date soon.
Being new hotels, the two should begin with advantages over the incumbents. Henk Meyknecht, general manager of the Marco Polo, is proud of his building’s technological offerings, such as Wi-Fi internet access throughout the hotel, all-electronic displays (no more paper posters), and a special feature in guest rooms that allows them to plug their laptops into the TV. Besides the hotel’s “intelligent” nature, which allows for more efficient use of energy, it is also equipped with state-of-the-art security systems by Chubb. “We will be the preferred hotel for VIPs,” says Meyknecht.
The Marco Polo’s main customer base, however, is obviously going to be businesspeople attending trade fairs, as the hotel is a five-minute drive from Shenzhen’s massive International Convention and Exhibition Center. In the Futian district, the Marco Polo has an enviable location advantage.
Six restaurants, including the 600-seat Carianna (Chinese), and the renowned Nishimura Japanese Restaurant (which is relocating from the Shangri-La), make the Marco Polo a formidable presence in the area’s F&B market. Then there is its most elegant asset to consider: the Mandara Spa. All add up to a potent competitor to the Pavillion and Shangri-La.
The Kempinski is in the same class, and probably far enough away from the Marco Polo not to be too much direct competition. If anyone should be looking over its shoulder in the Nanshan district it must be the current market leader, the Crowne Plaza. The Kempinski is a stunner, and, with 24-hour butler services, promises superb service. It is also right next to the landing site of the Western Crossing, the bridge linking Shenzhen with Hong Kong, due to open later this year.
The Kempinski will have all the facilities expected of its brand, such as a “Wellness Center” with spa treatments, three restaurants of its own and numerous meeting spaces, including a ballroom accommodating up to 800 people.
Marco Polo Shenzhen 深圳马哥孛罗好日子酒店
Temeisi Plaza, Fuhua 1st Road, Futian district
深圳市福华一路福田中央商务区特美思广场 邮编
(86-755) 8327 2215; www.marcopolohotels.com
Kempinski Shenzhen 深圳凯宾斯基酒店
Yang Ri Wan Pan, Hai De San Dao, Nanshan district
市南山区后海滨路海德三道 邮政编码
(86-755) 8612 3771; www.kempinski.com
