Indulge in life at the top
Luxury serviced suites at Four Seasons Place in Central and The HarbourView Place above Kowloon Station have attracted strong leasing demand from local and overseas tenants.
Belinda Kuan, assistant general manager of Signature Homes, said the company continued to see solid leasing interest despite the recent developments in the global financial crisis.
'Average rents at Four Seasons Place have increased by about 15 to 16 per cent this year, and the occupancy is virtually full. We have quite a number of tenants who have been staying with us since our project's launch in 2005,' she said.
'We are optimistic about the leasing performance next year and we believe that the short-term uncertainties of the financial market should not disrupt the growth momentum significantly.
'Hong Kong will continue to benefit from the mainland's sustained economic growth. And, our tenants are coming from different sectors. Apart from the financial industry, there are a growing number of tenants from other sectors such as logistics, manufacturing and trading,' Ms Kuan said.
The Four Seasons Place provides 519 serviced suites. The HarbourView Place, a newly completed sister project, has 266 serviced suites.
Ms Kuan said the first two batches of serviced suites, totalling 150 units, at The HarbourView Place had been put on offer in recent months and tenants had committed to more than 70 per cent of the units. The leasing period varied from one to 12 months, depending on different tenants' needs.
The average rental at The HarbourView Place was in the region of HK$52 to HK$63 per sqft a month, compared with a range of HK$71 to HK$94 per sqft at Four Seasons Place, she said.
The HarbourView Place - on the 50th to 70th floors of The Cullinan II at the International Commerce Centre complex - provides a good variety of units including studios and one-, two- and three-bedroom suites of about 400 to more than 700 sqft each.
There are two presidential suites on the 70th floor of 2,290 and 3,270 sqft.
'The well-equipped serviced suites have different unit sizes and layouts for tenants to choose from. They boast contemporary, stylish interiors and quality in-room provisions, and make good use of glass to provide a greater sense of space for tenants,' Ms Kuan said. 'Prospective tenants have also approached us expressing leasing interest in the two presidential suites.'
She said the project's comprehensive list of personalised services and amenities included round-the-clock multilingual concierges, a fitness centre, lounge, reading area, internet corner and a heated rooftop pool on the 76th floor.
On the profile of tenants for Four Seasons Place and The HarbourView Place, Ms Kuan said more than 50 per cent of guests came from the United States and Europe with others from Asian countries including Japan, Singapore and South Korea, as well as local families.
'We have an obvious edge on the market. The two properties are the only serviced suites atop the stations of Hong Kong and Kowloon [on the] Airport Express [line],' she said.
'They are purpose-built to provide hassle free long-stay luxury accommodation with sufficient back-of-house space to ensure the quality of services. This is very different from many small converted projects on the market.'
Ms Kuan also said the provision of personalised services was an essential element at Four Seasons Place and The HarbourView Place.
'Our orientation specialists will help those tenants who are not familiar with Hong Kong to settle in and adapt to life here. They will provide care and attention every day, and regular activities as well as festival celebrations will be organised for tenants' enjoyment,' she said.
