Ms Rebecca Kwan, General Manager

Whilst competition among deluxe hotels remains fierce in Hong Kong, boutique hotels are well positioned because they offer their guests the luxury of an alternative, according to Rebecca Kwan, General Manager of Lan Kwai Fong Hotel.

It is not difficult to discover this hip boutique hotel with its unique, modern décor embellished with Chinese accents. “The hotel opened its door in early 2006 but the initial concept goes as far back as 2002,” Kwan recalls. “At that time, there were no boutique hotels in Hong Kong, although there were plenty of well established international hotel groups with trusted brand names in the market.

“We saw a niche and wanted to do something unique to capture the consumer segment that demands a special and differentiated product. The market for boutique hotels was not popular at all in Hong Kong, unlike in Europe and America. We felt that there was an opportunity, so we took this one step further. Hong Kong is so rich in diversity. We were confident that there was room for a different kind of hotel, one that embodies Hong Kong’s unique East-meets-West culture.”

Many years ago the hoteliers’ philosophy was to create a standard look and feel in all their hotels. But nowadays more consumers and hotel owners are looking to avoid standardisation, and this trend plays perfectly into the growing market for boutique hotels, which have their own style and distinctive character. Boutique hotels emphasise a trendy, casual  ambience, where guests can always wear jeans and be themselves.

The Lan Kwai Fong Hotel offers 162 bedrooms with individually designed suites, each one furnished in a distinctive Oriental style. Says Kwan: “Contemporary design blended with Oriental elements has proven to be of strong appeal to guests from around the world, even Asian guests. We've also gotten the thumbs up from people who work in the galleries, entertainment, PR, fashion and design. The feedback is all positive.”

According to Kwan, the hotel’s client mix is 45 percent European, 18 percent American and 12 percent Australian. The remaining 25 percent are mostly from Japan, Korea and other Southeast Asian countries. Kwan says, “Our guests are stylish, adventurous, and they usually appreciate culture and design.”
There are five especially designed rooms with a private balcony that overlooks Hong Kong's spectacular city and harbour views.

“We emphasize attention to detail and incorporate unique design elements like jade turtles and Chinese Emperor’s costumes. We ensure that the hotel's visual message is full of character. The floor projection at the lift lobby is unique,” says Kwan.

For Lan Kwai Fong Hotel art is never an afterthought. As Kwan explains, “We infuse style and design into the guest experience. It is certainly the place to impress and be impressed.”

Kwan is a strong believer in hands-on management. She involves herself in all aspects of operations, from designing the hotel’s business card to developing business strategies. “It’s all about passion and enthusiasm in the service industry.” She frequently strolls around the neighbourhood to get ideas that could be useful for hotel guests. “There are so many interesting happenings around, so I can always share with our guests what’s new and hot in town.” 

Kwan credits the hotel’s owners with the property’s success. “I cannot remember a time when I wanted to do something that they were not supportive of.”

Of course, the hotel’s location is extraordinarily attractive. It is situated in the centre of the trendy dining, nightlife and entertainment areas of Soho and Lan Kwai Fong. Central, with its buzzing business district and various boutiques and shops, is within walking distance. Hotel guests benefit from an excellent transportation network - the Macau Ferry Terminal and Hong Kong MTR station are just minutes away. Art galleries, designer boutiques and antique shops imbue the area with an unique artistic and cultural atmosphere. As Kwan likes to put it: “It’s like going on a treasure hunt! It's perfect for both business and leisure guests. In fact, our most popular room package is called Business @ Pleasure. You can certainly achieve both in Lan Kwai Fong Hotel.”

The hotel’s success formula stems from a different marketing positioning, Kwan adds. “Conventionally most people would be happy relying on a well-established hotel structure, where everything is measured by a star grading system and facilities and services conform to a certain standard.

Boutique hotels do not need to compete in this category. Instead we attract customers who are looking for alternatives to traditional and familiar hotel brands. This gives us an X factor in a very competitive market.”

Kwan added, “A boutique hotel is not necessarily lower priced than deluxe hotels. What makes it different is it offers more personalised service in a charming environment.”

She considers employee training vital in order to carry out the hotel’s mission of delivering extra mile service to guests. “The staff must feel involved in order  to create job satisfaction and a sense of belonging. We encourage our team to share their comments and suggestions for improving the hotel, just as we ask our guests for their feedback.”

With average occupancy rates of 90 percent and a repeat customer ratio of around 25 percent, Lan Kwai Fong Hotel is a genuine success story. It was awarded as “The Best Boutique Hotel in Asia” from the TravelWeekly Asia Industry Awards 2007 and “Hong Kong’s Leading Boutique Hotel” by World Travel Awards 2008.

“We are certainly proud of this and will be moving forward with our vision for an exceptional boutique hotel,” Kwan concludes.

• Alex Lai


PHILOSOPHY
The hotel business is all about emotions and how you make people feel. We enjoy transforming boring, formulaic hotels into truly interesting destinations with a Hong Kong character for travelers. With the current economic downturn, we have swiftly adopted an alternative mindset. Even though the economy is shrinking we believe in remaining positive. Lower Central office rentals means Central will become more affordable, and this will attract back business. Don’t believe what you see. When you believe it, you’ll see it: This has always been my philosophy

FAST FACTS
Far East Consortium International Limited, the hotel’s parent company, is principally engaged in property development and hotel operations in Hong Kong and Asia. Opened in March 2006, Lan Kwai Fong Hotel delivers a "wow!" experience for its guests - ensuring that their stay in the hotel, and in Hong Kong, is completely seamless and enjoyable. With the success of Lan Kwai Fong Hotel and the good growth prospects for boutique hotels, Far East Consortium is planning to launch two new exciting boutique hotels in Sheung Wan and Kennedy Town in 2010