Top global hotels keen on Hong Kong presence
Luxury brands Dorchester and Regent yet to be deterred from gaining foothold in city despite record price fetched for prime Murray Building
The record-breaking bid last month for the landmark Murray Building, destined to become a luxury hotel, has not yet deterred global hoteliers from foraying into Hong Kong's competitive hospitality market.
Ultra-deluxe British hotelier Dorchester Collection - which counts Britain's Queen Elizabeth and Hollywood celebrities as customers - remains keen on looking for a location in Central, and Taiwanese-owned Regent Hotels & Resorts wants to stage a comeback to Hong Kong.
The property developer partners of these firms lost in the bidding for the 44-year-old Murray Building, the former headquarters of various government departments, to Wheelock's hotel arm, which paid HK$4.4 billion for it. The building is expected to become a Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel.
Dorchester chief executive Christopher Cowdray told the South China Morning Post it was difficult to find the right location in Hong Kong, especially in prime districts like Central.
"Hong Kong has been on our radar screen for the last few years," said Cowdray, who manages 10 hotels in cities such as London, Paris, Geneva and Beverly Hills.