Flying High

NOVOTEL CITYGATE HONG KONG IS A 4-STAR HOTEL WITH 5-STAR FACILITIES --D ON A 3-STAR BUDGET

by Mary Scoviak, Contributing Editor -- HOTELS Magazine, 4/1/2007

Who says a hotel cannot be all things to all people? Certainly not NewFoundWorld Ltd. the owner of the eight-month-old, 440-room Novotel Citygate Hong Kong. The five major Hong Kong property developers involved in NewFoundWorld saw major upside for a design-led property in the center of Tung Chung that could capture a broad market ranging from airport transit passengers and air crews to guests attending trades shows at AsiaWorld-Expo, leisure travelers going to Disneyland or Ngong Ping 360 Skyrail or corporate travelers with business in the airport precinct. Flaunting Hong Kong's traditionalist hotel idiom, NewFoundWorld gave Hong Kong designer Steve Leung a free hand to shake-up travelers' expectation with a hotel Leung describes as "a 4-star with 5-star facilities executed on a 3-star budget."

High Style, Yield Driven

The shake-up starts at the world's tallest revolving door (at 4.8 m.); so does the property's decidedly non-airport, sensory experience. As guests check in, they smell the aroma of garlic and tomatoes on the pizzas baking in the wood-fired ovens in the Mediterranean restaurant, Olea. They can see the chocolate fountain and the chefs in the show kitchen in Essence. They can hear the just audible, wind chime-like sounds of the beads that form the chandeliers. Public spaces leverage the warm, welcoming ambiance guests want into a seamless merchandising opportunity.

"It is important that guests can see, hear and smell the various outlets in the hotel as soon as they enter. By focusing all of the outlets around our lobby and the guest lifts, we allow that to happen in a natural way through the check-in/arrival process. It is quite a powerful revenue tool," says Scott Davies, general manager.

Davies espouses the belief that hospitality is no longer just about providing good service and a great hotel product. It is also about design. "Consumers have a greater appreciation of design. They want to seek inspiration from the spaces in which they spend time outside of their homes," he says.

Leung and designer Yausumichi Morita, Glamorous Co., Inc., Hyogo Japan, provide ample inspiration by marrying the cool edge of glass panels with the delicacy of kimonons and subtle Asian motifs in Essence, the all-day buffet restaurant. Special screens draw attention from the outside, separating it from the lobby and bar while maintaining a cohesive look.

Organic design flows change the mood in the lobby bar, Andante, to one of fashionable intimacy. Glass is still a focal point, but, for the bar it expands to create a wall that suggests a window-on-the-world experience. The semicircular bar and circular, wood-layered chandelier echo the image of the revolving entrance way. Guests can customize their experience with each visit. Andante is positioned on a raised platform, but has a sunken bar, giving guests the option of enjoying social seclusion at the bar or blending with the dynamism of the lobby.

Integrating the design, architecture and landscaping was important in scripting a strong character for the hotel. However, Leung made room for design differences that would encourage guests to explore and experiment. The lobby is an elegant framework of warm brown travertine walls and columns, accented with tinted mirrors and important art statements. But, there are times when guests want a space with more visual energy. Olea is a striking contrast to the lobby with its overhead orange light boxes bearing the restaurant's distinctive logo. Open kitchens are everyone, but none is like this. The stainless steel and copper kitchen gracefully curves across the subtly-lit herringbone-style floor. "With the reflection of nature light from the copper and the colored lights, dining in Olea is like having a holiday," says Leung.

Every space in the hotel is yield-managed through design. Moccato, a "coffee corner" on Level 2, opens up revenue opportunities for guests who just want to relax with a cup of coffee. With lighting inspired by a jazz bar, Moccato's dark brown coffee-colored wooden ceiling and walls gives guests the impression they are seated in a walnut box-an interesting counterpoint to the blonde monochrome of the world's grab-and-go coffee emporia.

Uniforms were chosen to fit within each environment. "Staff plays an important role in elevating design," says Leung. "Therefore, their attire should enable them to become part of the design. They make the design 'movable.'" Reception staff members wear casual, trendy fashions "that better suit the vibrant young staff." Attire for the waitstaff is customized to the look of the restaurant or bar.

"Cutting edge design is not something people usually attribute to the food and beverage (F&B) outlets in a 4-star hotel," says Davies. Pushing the envelope has its rewards. "Our F&B operations have been full since day one. Essence, our Asian fusion buffet, is doing more than 300 covers and is booked seven weeks in advance since opening," he adds. A market hungry for new dining options generates roughly 20,000 covers a month with an average check in excess of US$25.

Design Turned Inside Out

It is not just form that makes the Novotel Citygate revolutionary. This hotel was designed from the inside out to ensure an end-result that would not compromise form or function. Three generations of mock-up rooms were built offsite, with improvements and enhancements made at each stage. Once on site, the exterior was built around them.

Guestrooms are sited in a herringbone pattern of interlocking arrowheads to maximize revenue generating space while optimizing the residential mood of the guestrooms. Softly lit corridors help guests transition to the retreat of the rooms. Once inside, the open plan, high ceilings (40 cm above the city's average) and clean, contemporary furnishings merge comfort with style. The Novotel's guestrooms are not one design fits all. Leung uses a green palette for the rooms facing the mountain view, warm brows for the poolside rooms.

Wall-less bathrooms are nothing new. Leung takes the concept forward by installing sliding wood panels between the sleeping and bathing areas in some guestrooms. In the rooms where the bathing area takes up nearly half the space, he encloses the toilet and shower in opaque class to retain a transparent, spacious feel.

Triple-glazed windows and state-of-the-art sound-proofing are givens for airport hotels. Novotel Citygate jumps to next generation advances such as ultra-thick wooden doors and acoustic mats laid under the tiling to absorb vibration and ensure a good night's sleep. Rates vary depending on the season with a dynamic pricing strategy from US$128 per room per night for a superior room. Occupancy has been running at 70%.