GO WEST

It is hardly a new phenomenon but Asian hospitality brands have been quietly (and, sometimes, not so quietly) making landfall in Europe of late. Rather than adopting the popular Look East stance, going west and breaking ground in Europe, a region whose growth is comparatively slower than the Asia-Pacific, has been the calculated move of several well-known Asian chains. Joining this list is Dorsett Hospitality International, one of Hong Kong’s most dynamic brands, which recently unveiled its first-ever hotel outside of Asia in Shepherd’s Bush, west of London.

Having soft-opened in June 2014, the flagship London property was officially launched two months ago to great fanfare. In a lavish celebration that paid homage to its oriental heritage, while fully embracing the soul of its latest location, east met west in great style, pulling off a dazzling event that featured champagne-pouring aerial artists, a make-believe member of the Queen’s Guard, Xi’an-inspired terracotta warriors, a string quartet, Chinese drummers and even a roving magician, to the delight of the full house of guests, which comprised international media, friends of the brand, corporate clients and council reps from the boroughs of Hammersmith and Fulham.

The response to the new Dorsett Shepherds Bush has been more than encouraging. Aside from its location (retail-minded travellers would be thrilled by its proximity to the mega Westfield shopping centre, while a short bus or black cab ride would have them in minutes to Piccadilly and the razzle dazzle of the West End as well as all the pleasures and distractions neighbourhoods like Holland Park, Notting Hill and Bayswater can proffer), the Dorsett Shepherds Bush is also living up to the main reasons why global travellers have warmed to Asian hotels so quickly – in that they embody a living culture of service and graciousness that lies at the core of the continent’s soul as well as possess an innate understanding of and ability to anticipate what modern-day guests need and want.

It would not be surprising, then, that this is just the beginning for Dorsett Hospitality International’s journey outside of Asia. Winnie Chiu, its President and Executive Director, in London for the Dorsett Sherpherds Bush launch, announced that the group has also acquired a second property in the British capital. “We have been actively looking for locations for some time now. And, sometimes, it’s not a case of ‘the more you look, the more you find’.  For us, it was the more we looked, the more we knew what we didn’t want for our properties.”

She explains that “we are just growing our brand outside of Asia and this is a very important time for us. In every company, there is a growth stage and, now, with our London operations all set up, it is time.”

A quick look at the Dorsett portfolio indicates its growth stage seems to be noticeably marked, while showing no signs of slowing down. It owns and manages 30 hotels; it has opened four in 2014 alone, namely in Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Jiangxi, China, and now London, making it one of Asia’s fastest-growing hospitality companies. “We are a young hotel group but, so far, the journey has been a really exciting one.”

The group has grown from strength to strength. “From a single property in Kuala Lumpur, we now have over 8,500 rooms globally. I’m a big believer in market share,” says Chiu with a smile, “especially during crisis moments. In Hong Kong, we have over seven per cent of the total market share and I can tell you that our occupancy rates actually grew during the ‘Occupy Central’ period.”

Although performing well, with an encouraging number of repeat guests already, the Dorsett Shepherds Bush faced the usual trials for any hopeful brand keen on migrating west. London, a tough market to crack, is already more than established with a strong roster of hungry competitors. “Our focus right now is to build on the existing SOPs of the company and we have a mandate, but I’m not stubborn about it,” says Chiu.

“In this business, you really do need to market to your target audience and I am pleased to say, as a group, we are young and nimble enough to be flexible… that’s our edge!” Chiu’s years of living in London as a student at King’s College has also given her the experience and insight to realise what a visitor to London would appreciate. “We do our own market intelligence, of course, but I also base a lot of our value-added services on what I’ve gone through in the past, living here,” she shares.

One of these include a shuttle bus service for guests to the nearby business park of Chiswick as well as to the West End. “It’s a small service but one that’s done with a lot of heart,” says Chiu. “It’s also a fairly common offering in Asia but not so in Europe or the UK. Of course, it might not prove popular but I’m willing to test it out.”

This light-footed approach to hospitality will certainly help the Dorsett Shepherds Bush in polishing its product while ensuring a thoroughly organic approach to meeting customer needs. This may be seen in its sensitivity towards Asian guests, many of whom have long been supporters of its Asian properties and are now finding they have a home away from home in London, too. At breakfast, for example, guests may find a small but pleasing selection of Asian choices alongside other English staples.

“Again, it’s a small touch,” Chiu notes, “but already so many Asian guests have told me how comforting it was to be able to breakfast on a hot bowl of congee, as opposed to cold cuts and cereals, particularly when it’s cold and miserable outside.” And given the majority of hotels across Europe competing for well-heeled Asian travellers, particularly those from mainland China, it’s safe to say the new Dorsett Shepherds Bush has more than a few trump cards in the bag.

Its other restaurant, Shikumen, offers innovative Chinese cuisine while its on-site spa, Pavilion, named after the former Pavilion Cinema on which the property now stands, is a little haven of holistic sensibilities.

Aside from Asian-inspired treatments and bodywork, guests may also indulge themselves with skincare products by Ling New York, the famous facialist who counts Madonna, Naomi Campbell and Gisele Bundchen among her fans. For travellers who have had to criss-cross time zones to get to London, they would no doubt be delighted to know that Pavilion also offers a “sleep spa,” where pre-bedtime appointments can be arranged to ensure jetlag or restless nights are minimised during their stay at the Dorsett Shepherds Bush.

“All these are in line with our commitment to being the gateway to Asian-inspired hospitality,” Chiu says. “Moreover, we always aim to over-deliver.” Guests of the hotel might notice a recurring bird motif that runs throughout the refurbished Grade II building, which dates back to 1923.

“We like it and think it’s appropriate as the bird is mobile, small and fast – similar to our corporate culture. Birds also see the world, are community-driven and team players, not to mention being beautiful, colourful and fun,” adds Chiu.

“The Dorsett brand is hardly stuffy, so we always try to inject a sense of whimsy and humour into what we do.” With the property already reaping the benefits of a feeder-effect, with existing Asian clients eagerly experiencing the first Dorsett outpost in London, this augurs well for the greater expansion plans Chiu is steeling herself and her team for. Not that it’s all about London, though. In Chiu’s line of vision is, in fact, a location quite a bit further afield – Australia. “Yes, I have a thing for Commonwealth countries,” she jokes.

“But, truth be told, it really suits our portfolio as we have a big development office there. It’s also the right time to be considering it as we are good in terms of resources. But, for now, our growth plans are entirely city-focused, regardless of the country. It’s more expensive, of course, but you can still find some gems. Anyway, if you have the heart to do it, you can and will make it happen!”

Perhaps, the strongest voice of encouragement came, not from one of the many guests who attended the grand launch of the Dorsett Shepherds Bush, but rather, from one who didn’t. In a surprise video, sent from the Mayor of London’s office, which was played to the delight of all present, the screen showed Boris Johnson, in typical pithy fashion, proudly proclaiming London as the new tourism capital of the world, beating out Paris and New York with a staggering 16.9 million arrivals, at which point the towheaded figure’s voice boomed: “Plainly, we need loads more world-class hotels and I’m absolutely thrilled that the Dorsett group has arrived and I am sure the Dorsett Shepherds Bush is going to be a fantastic success. My motto about the Dorsett group is: Dorsett? I en-Dorsett!”