Business Traveller (Asia-Pacific)
IN THE CLUB
There’s more to these hotel executive lounges than just breakfast and a space to work
Hotel guests expect executive lounges (also called Club lounges) to have a decent selection of complimentary food and beverages, to offer a tranquil environment with ample seating space, and to restrict access to only certain privileged guests.
But with increasing competition to woo guests, many hotels are upping their executive lounge game, introducing unique features to these spaces. Lounges may be perched on the upper floors of the hotel, affording a stunning city view; or they may have dedicated working spaces that allow guests to immerse themselves in work without being disturbed. Today you can expect much more from a hotel executive lounge, from private check-in and checkout to a host of personalised services.
Frequent business travellers increasingly demand that a hotel executive lounge be a living room away from home, or office away from the hometown workplace – somewhere to work, relax or eat well, depending on the need at the time. Here we take a look at some intriguing executive lounges in the Asia-Pacific region, and explain why they’re worth a visit.
HONG KONG EXECUTIVE LOUNGE: FLINT JW MARRIOTT HOTEL HONG KONG
Following a comprehensive facelift of its executive lounge and 608 guestrooms in 2018, the 30-year-old JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong now presents a whole new look. Situated atop the Pacific Place shopping centre in Admiralty, the hotel provides convenient connectivity to the major business districts in both Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.
Located on the fifth floor, the renovated lounge first impresses with its size. Featuring an industrial and sleek design, it can now accommodate up to 136 people, and is equipped with two meeting rooms.
In terms of F&B offerings, there’s always a generous selection from breakfast to hors d’oeuvres, along with self-service coffee and wine stations. During evening cocktail hours, signature dishes from the hotel’s other restaurants are served, including barbecued pork from Man Ho Restaurant, and shrimp wonton noodles from The Lounge. Wine tasting and cocktail sessions presented by celebrity mixologists from Bar Q88 are held regularly in the executive lounge.
Open 6.30am-11.30pm Who can access? Guests staying in Executive rooms and Executive suites, as well as Marriott Bonvoy elite members Location Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Hong Kong
Contact +852 2810 8366, marriott.com
MANOR CLUB, ROSEWOOD HONG KONG
A newer entry to the Hong Kong hospitality landscape, the Rosewood Hong Kong only opened its doors in March this year. Located in the newly built Victoria Dockside, Hong Kong’s new art and design landmark on the Tsim Sha Tsui harbour front, this luxury property has 322 guestrooms and 91 suites, including 18 “Speciality Suites”.
Perched on the 40th floor, the hotel’s executive lounge, called Manor Club, takes full advantage of its prime position, affording panoramic views of Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong Island’s skyline on the far side. You can either sit at the bar overlooking the harbour, or find yourself a seat on the balcony, which allows you to embrace the grandeur of the city view more closely.
Divided into individual rooms, the Manor Club offers a very residential feel. The overall interior design reflects
a contemporary style, while the vintage floor tiles and furnishings add to an oldtime atmosphere, echoing the city’s unique charm of being an extraordinary mix of modernity and tradition. For those who fancy some leisure activities, there’s even a games room equipped with a pool table. Open 24 hours daily
Who can access? Guests staying in Club Grand Harbour View rooms and suites Location Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong Contact +852 3891 8888, rosewoodhotels.com
GRAND CLUB LOUNGE, GRAND HYATT HONG KONG
Back on Hong Kong Island, the 542-room Grand Hyatt Hong Kong is famous for having hosted a number of heads of state including former US president Bill Clinton, Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev, as well as former Chinese president Hu Jintao and vice premier of the State Council Li Keqiang.
The Grand Club Lounge occupies both the 30th and 31st floors. The 30th floor houses a reception area, a living room with communal table, boardrooms and a private screening room, while on the 31st f loor there’s a lounge, a library and an inviting kitchen, making the Grand Club Lounge a multipurpose venue for guests with different needs.
It also boasts an innovative art collection with works by artists from around the world, including an earthy painting encapsulating the palettes of land and ocean, a tondo-shaped suspended mirror installation reflective of the harbour, as well as a triptych of photo-collages depicting Shanghai and the French city of Marseille. Open 7am-11.30pm
Who can access? Suite and Club f loor room guests
Location 1 Harbour Road, Hong Kong Contact +852 2588 1234, hyatt.com
MACAU SHERATON CLUB LOUNGE, SHERATON GRAND MACAO HOTEL, COTAI CENTRAL
With more than 4,000 guestrooms and suites distributed across its two towers, Sky and Earth, Sheraton Grand Macao is not only the biggest hotel in Macau, but also the largest Sheraton hotel in the world. The scale of the property is also reflected in its 14,000 sqm plus of meeting space for large events.
Naturally the largest Sheraton hotel also boasts the largest Sheraton Club Lounge, which covers an area of 1,368 sqm. The restaurant area offers plenty of seating, with 104 seats in the club dining area, 22 at the bar, 59 in the upper lounge and 36 on the outdoor patio. Guests can use the private meeting room for two hours per day during their stay. There are interactive touchscreen computers and designated workstations as well. Lounge guests can also get an upgrade on select spa treatments.
Open 7am-11pm
Who can access? Guests staying in suites (not including Family and Deluxe suites), as well as Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite members or above
Location Estrada do Istmo s/n, Cotai, Macau
Contact +853 2880 2000, marriott.com
GRAND CLUB LOUNGE, GRAND HYATT MACAU
The 791-room Grand Hyatt Macau distinguishes itself from its counterparts in the Cotai area with its two unique waveinspired high-rise towers. The famous House of Dancing Water show held in its 2,000-seat theatre also makes the hotel a popular destination for global travellers.
Located on the 37th floor of Grand Club Tower, the hotel’s Grand Club Lounge is one of the few in Asia to feature an interactive open kitchen with chefs cooking made-to-order dishes for guests. In addition to its main lounge area, there’s a spacious semi-open terrace. The hotel’s proximity to Macau International Airport is perfect for plane spotters.
There are also four private dining rooms, with sizes ranging from 15 to 40 sqm. Guests can savour signature dishes from the hotel’s other restaurants in these private rooms, which are outfitted with high-tech facilities like built-in LCD projectors, flatscreen TVs, entertainment systems and iPad controls for audiovisual equipment and lighting. Two are also equipped with an LED TV with in-built video conferencing capabilities. Guests enjoy an hour’s free access to a meeting room in the lounge per stay.
Open 7am-11pm
Who can access? Guests staying in designated rooms with Club access, Grand suites with Club Access, Grand Deluxe suites with Club Access, Grand Executive suites, and Premier, Diplomat, Presidential and Chairman suites Location City of Dreams, Estrada do Istmo, Cotai, Macau
Contact +853 2880 2000, hyatt.com MAINLAND CHINA
REGENCY CLUB LOUNGE, HYATT REGENCY BEIJING WANGJING
Situated in the northeastern Wangjing district of Beijing, the Chinese capital’s emerging business and tech hub, this property had its grand opening in October 2018. Designed by awardwinning Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, the 348-room hotel features sanheyuanstyle architecture. The use of natural materials like wood, stone and bamboo along with ample natural light creates a tranquil and peaceful “urban forest”.
Also designed by Kengo Kuma, the Regency Club Lounge on the third floor features the same design concept. Slatted wood partitions, timber tiles and furniture create a zen-like atmosphere in the spacious interior, while the terrace, outfitted with a few seats, is surrounded by abundant greenery. There’s also a meeting room that guests can book in advance for one hour’s complimentary use per stay. Open 6am-11pm
Who can access? Guests staying in designated rooms with Club access Location Lei Shing Hong Center, 8 Guangshun South Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China
Contact +86 010 8630 1234, hyatt.com
HORIZON CLUB LOUNGE, SHANGRI-LA HOTEL, GUANGZHOU
Perched on the southern bank of the Pearl River, Shangri-La Hotel Guangzhou is positioned next door to the Guangzhou International Convention and Exhibition Centre where the world-renowned Canton Fair is held every year. The hotel is only a few minutes’ drive from Zhujiang New Town, an emerging business district in the southern Chinese metropolis. It’s also connected to the landmark Canton Tower via the tram beside the hotel. The
36-storey property has 704 guestrooms and suites, 26 serviced apartments, and 5,800 sqm of lush garden.
Located on the 34th floor, the Horizon Club Lounge overlooks the Pearl River, China’s third longest river. The private meeting room can be booked to use for up to two hours per day. The lounge also offers special services for kids, including mini buffets on weekends and holiday movie sessions held in a designated area. Open 6.30am-11pm
Who can access? Guests staying on Horizon Club floors (floors 31 to 36) Location 1 Hui Zhan Dong Road, Hai Zhu District, Guangzhou, China Contact +86 020 8917 8888, shangri-la.com
SINGAPORE LEVEL 65, SWISSOTEL THE STAMFORD
The 226-metre-high Swissotel The Stamford is one of the tallest hotels in Southeast Asia. Located atop Raffles City in central Singapore, the hotel grants convenient access to a range of shopping and dining options as well as major central business hubs.
Following a recent refurbishment, the executive lounge reopened its doors as Level 65 in January 2019. As its name suggests, it’s located on the 65th floor within the 73-storey building. Covering the entire floor, Level 65 affords stunning views of the city skyline and Marina Bay area. There’s a bar area and a boardroom available for two hours’ free use per day.
What distinguishes it from most other executive lounges is that it also features distinctive space for fitness and sports. There’s a gym adjacent to the main reception area for the exclusive use of lounge guests who, in addition to using the gym facilities, can play a game of table tennis on a bespoke ping pong table. Open 7am-10.30pm
Who can access? Guests staying in rooms on executive floors
Location 2 Stamford Road, Singapore Contact +65 6338 8585, swissotel.com
THE STRAITS CLUB,
THE FULLERTON HOTEL SINGAPORE
The Fullerton Hotel Singapore was originally known as the Fullerton Building, which, built in 1928, once housed the General Post Office, the Exchange Room and Exchange Reference Library, as well as the Singapore Club. Nowadays, this 400-room heritage hotel, situated near the mouth of the Singapore River and right beside Singapore’s iconic Merlion Park, is a national monument in the city-state overlooking the Marina Bay area.
The hotel’s executive lounge, the Straits Club, features vintage Peranakan décor and is furnished with Straits Chinese artefacts. Besides the all-day complimentary F&B, lounge guests also get round-the-clock personalised services and have two hours’ complimentary access to the meeting room, which can accommodate up to eight people. Open 6.30am-11pm
Who can access? Guests staying in any of the hotel’s 28 suites
Location 1 Fullerton Square, Singapore Contact +65 6733 8388, fullertonhotels. com