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Rooms with a queue

Booming city attracts guests who want top-class accommodation.

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The Westin Wuhan Wuchang differentiates itself as a lifestyle hotel.

Wuhan's extraordinary growth in the past decade has yielded a surge in hotel guests and the rise of an elite group of hotels to service the expanding upscale market. The city's tourism bureau estimates that last year saw more than 3 million room nights and that local hotels topped 2 billion yuan (HK$2.44 billion) in revenue.

The city's typical hotel guest has changed over the past decade. John Beresford, general manager of the Marco Polo Hotel, says the hotel industry used to be leisure driven, with Yangtze River cruises popular.

Today's guests are more likely to visit in connection with corporate or government-related business, given that "the central government has made Wuhan a growth point with increased investment", according to Eddy Tao, general manager of the Shangri-La Hotel, Wuhan.

Top-tier hotels are still in relatively limited supply, with less than 10 five-star hotels for a population in excess of 10 million in the greater metropolitan area. The Westin Wuhan Wuchang differentiates itself as a lifestyle hotel, stressing items like hi-tech massage chairs and premium bedding.

The Marco Polo Wuhan emphasises its premium location next to key government offices and its suite of 12 serviced apartments.

For the Renaissance, location is key, with the hotel located a quick trip away from the Han Street shopping development and the Happy Valley Wuhan theme park. The Shangri-La Hotel has been servicing the city's top tier for more than a decade, with a prime location in the city's financial district.

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