Swire Hotels’ three properties under The House Collective banner in China have seen a change in its guest profile as the domestic travel market continues to dominate business.
Guests are becoming younger, staying longer, and placing greater emphasis on unique experiences offered by the hotels, shared Swire Hotels representatives.
According to Dean Winter, managing director of Swire Hotels, the three House Collective hotels in China are welcoming more and more guests in the age bracket of 25 to 35 years old.
Contrasting the pre-Covid guest profile and the current one, Winter said the Houses used to get mostly well-travelled, affluent travellers “who had grown away from mainstream hotel offerings, felt they were sophisticated enough to try something different, and who wanted to be regarded as an influencer in travel choices”.
Winter said many of the guests new to The House Collective “might not have considered us before” but were able to try out the properties as they found the three Houses to be a uniquely different option.
As guests lengthen their stay to an average of a week, they are turning to the hotels to provide memorable experiences, shared Jaime Chua, assistant director of marketing, CRM and PR.
In 2021, The House Collective ran a successful dining programme, titled Chef’s Story, where three Chinese chefs from The Middle House Shanghai, The Opposite House Beijing and The Temple House Chengdu came together to produce a limited edition menu that reflected their childhood and professional journey. The menu was presented in each of the three Houses.
Currently, The Opposite House Beijing hosts an installation art series that changes almost every month.
Chua said: “Our activity calendar draws not just travellers from different Chinese cities but also locals who now enjoy hanging out at our hotels and dining venues. We’ve also been able to attract many Chinese KOLs (lifestyle influencers) who come and produce content about their unique experiences at our hotels.”
Such social media exposure has been instrumental in The Middle House Shanghai, The Opposite House Beijing and The Temple House Chengdu’s ability to attract younger guests, noted Winter.
“We have also learnt how important visuals of our hotels and spaces are (for attracting the younger segment of guests). ‘Instagrammable’ is now a word and a consideration in our conversations around hotel design,” said Winter.
Looking ahead, The House Collective will expand to include a yet-to-be-named House in the heart of Shenzhen Bay, set for an opening in 2025.
According to press materials, the ultra-luxurious Shenzhen property will offer approximately 115 guestrooms as well as 44 serviced residences as part of a premium mixed-use development that includes Grade-A office towers and an events and exhibition space.
