Shimao Starwood 16 Hotels Jointly Sign Contracts, Leading the New Height of National Hotel Development

On July 30, 2021, the Shimao Starwood Hotel Group celebrated its fourth anniversary with a press conference and a joint […]

On July 30, 2021, the Shimao Starwood Hotel Group celebrated its fourth anniversary with a press conference and a joint signing ceremony for 16 hotels at The Yuluxe Sheshan, Shanghai, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel. The event marked a significant milestone, as industry guests, partners, and investors gathered to reflect on past achievements and future prospects. Mr. Tang Ming, president of Shimao Starwood Hotel Group, highlighted the group’s growth, which has been fueled by the strong backing of Shimao Group and Starwood Capital Group. Over the past four years, the group has focused on economically and touristically strong regions, primarily in first- and second-tier cities, while embracing a flexible and adaptable approach to the ever-changing market trends.

Mr. Tang Ming emphasized the group’s commitment to open innovation, fine operation, and vertical and horizontal cooperation, which have been instrumental in creating value for all cooperation parties and driving urban renewal and consumption upgrading. The group’s various brands have not only won consumer recognition but also the trust of owners, thanks to their professional hotel operation and management capabilities, profitability, and innovative service technologies. He expressed the hope to continue achieving mutual benefit and win-win results, moving forward hand in hand with partners.

Under the new development pattern of ‘dual circulation’, Shimao Starwood closely aligns with the national development strategy, promoting the integrated development of culture and tourism, and actively deploying in various locations domestically and internationally. The 16 newly signed hotels include more than 80% full-service hotels, with multiple brand combinations such as Yuluxe, Yu Hotels, and Yuluxe Residence. These hotels are set to be located in cities like Beijing, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Yantai, Qingdao, Xi’an, Kunming, Lanzhou, Huai’an, and Nantong, enriching the business and vacation choices for guests and demonstrating Shimao Starwood’s deep cultivation of the domestic market.

Shimao Starwood has also been dedicated to expanding national brands overseas,积极响应国家“一带一路”倡议. In November 2017, the group signed its first overseas project in Bali, Indonesia. The group’s professional management reputation has since spread overseas, with further signings in Lombok and other locations. Currently, Shimao Starwood has successfully partnered with eight overseas preparation projects, expanding its presence to Bali and Lombok in Indonesia, Melaka in Malaysia, and Bentong, among others.

As of July 30, 2021, Shimao Starwood’s seven major brands include 136 self-owned brand hotels (including those under preparation) across more than 60 cities domestically and internationally. More than 50% of the projects are located in domestic first- and second-tier cities and overseas markets, with over 24,000 rooms, marking a 30% year-on-year increase. The group now operates 19 hotels with nearly 3,500 guest rooms, covering a rich brand lineup and gradually forming an output management model primarily based on full-service hotel brands. The project signing volume of Yurong, Maoyu, and Shiyu brands accounts for 50%.

In addition to this, Shimao Starwood has achieved remarkable results in business expansion and innovation, realizing the management output of technical consultant services as an independent product. This helps more owners through the asset management life cycle of ‘investment, financing, construction, management, and divestment’.Joining hands with Rezen, deepening hotel digital intelligence scenario innovation.
At the fourth anniversary celebration, Shimao Starwood Hotel Group signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Rezen Group, a subsidiary of Ctrip Group. The aim is to rely on the strong group backgrounds of both parties, the technological research and development and marketing advantages of Rezen, and the distinct and diversified brand matrix and rich experience in refined hotel investment, design, construction, and operation management of Shimao Starwood Hotel Group. Integrating online operation and offline refined management, extensive cooperation is carried out in fields such as brand alliance, project expansion, and operation management. The two parties will cooperate in areas such as technology service extension, offline operation empowerment, online distribution strategy, member operation, and digital solutions to achieve integration of digital intelligence. With the innovative genes and user thinking of Internet enterprises, break through the bottleneck of traffic growth and provide new value drivers for online transaction conversion and supply chain empowerment of hotels.

Shimao Starwood Hotel Group signs a strategic cooperation agreement with Rezen Group, a subsidiary of Ctrip Group.

Seven brands, building diverse experience scenarios.
Created by Shimao Group and Starwood Capital, Shimao Starwood, this international national hotel group continues to promote the layout of its own brand territory at a steady pace. Seven of its own independent brands have been fully implemented and flourished. At the same time, in response to the ’14th Five-Year Plan’ recommendations, Shimao Starwood strides forward into popular tourist destination markets, strengthening the hotel layout in the Yangtze River Delta, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, helping upgrade the local tourism consumption market and meeting the travel needs of domestic high-end customer groups with high-quality hotel projects. From luxury resorts to city hotels, from lifestyle to inspired business travel, Shimao Starwood’s seven highly distinctive all-round hotel brands, including Yurong, Maoyu, Maoyuju, Shiyu, Ethos, Elite Select and Remi, cover various positions and create seven consumption scenarios with seven brands.

As a beauty representative with supreme quality, creating a national characteristic residential experience.
Under the trend of consumption upgrade and experience economy development, consumers’ demand for characteristic tourism experiences is constantly growing. Creating core competitiveness with ‘in-depth experience of traditional Chinese culture’ has become the sustainable development path that Yurong brand continuously explores. As the luxury resort hotel brand under Shimao Starwood, the first Shimao Yurong · Wuyi Resort Hotel with Song Dynasty aesthetics and serene boat journey was warmly welcomed by the market upon its opening in 2020. In collaboration with gourmet Shen Hongfei and Xiao Kuan, the ‘ancient cuisine made today’ Chinese cultural menu was launched, reflecting the hotel’s practice and display as a cultural experience platform in the era of grand culture and tourism. In April this year, the hotel completed the reception task for the foreign ministers of Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines on their visit to China with high standards. It not only witnessed an important moment of major country diplomacy but also reflected the cultural confidence values carried by the hotel. The quality travel experience advocated by Shimao Yurong · Wuyi Resort Hotel has also been recognized and affirmed by the market. From March to June 2021, the average EBITDA rate (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) exceeded 42%. It will continue to deepen the characteristic experience of oriental culture and achieve a double harvest of guest experience and hotel operating profit.

As the new generation of consumers emerges, Shimao Star Hotels has keenly grasped market trends and launched the brand Fanxiang, a high-end lifestyle hotel brand tailored for China’s millennial generation since the spring of 2019. Fanxiang hotels are designed with ‘Chinese pride and trendy lifestyle attitude’ to create a full-scenario ecosystem for Chinese youth’s trendy lifestyle beyond traditional hotels. Fanxiang has collaborated with various national trend brands, such as Fanxiang X China Li-Ning for street sports fashion, Fanxiang X CHALI for new tastes of Chinese tea, Fanxiang X Sant’Antonio for a refined lifestyle with specialty coffee, and Fanxiang X Panda Craft Beer for Chinese-style craft beer, Fanxiang X Himalaya for brand radio, etc., closely following the trend of national trend culture and continuously expanding the hotel experience scenarios. Fanxiang X Himalaya brand radio, Fanxiang X CHALI selected tea, Wuhan Fanxiang hotel’s new retail shelves, etc. In addition, Fanxiang hotels also have unique highlights in non-room revenue innovation marketing.Through online and offline promotion channels, including official social media, brand magazines, brand radio, Xiaohongshu, lifestyle and travel influencers, offline activities, and community operations, Fanxiang has created a new retail space with brand crossover. It holds various interesting activities such as murder mystery games, English corners, KNOWYOURSELF tea parties, Citywalk, etc. in a boundless space to attract young consumer groups, bringing a vibrant journey to young travelers and achieving growth in non-room hotel revenue. The Fanxiang hotel located in Shimao Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Port City is also under construction and will become a trendy gathering place for young people in Hong Kong, Zhuhai, and Macao in the future, helping to create a high-quality lifestyle circle in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Meticulously laid out ‘Imperial’ service leads the full-service high-end business travel experience. The effective control of the domestic epidemic has driven the demand for business travel to the domestic cycle. The domestic business travel market order volume on some platforms has exceeded that of 2019. At the same time, consumption reflow has promoted the vigorous development of the domestic leisure travel market. Shimao Star Hotels deeply understands market trends and has iterated the development of full-service business travel models to adapt to new consumer demands. After the brand renewal, Maoyu introduced a 24-degree comfort service, redefining the modern Oriental hotel experience with food culture, tea culture, hospitality, and considerate banquet and meeting services. It integrates the modern high-end lifestyle with destination culture and historical heritage, creating a comprehensive ‘Imperial’ service for guests.

As one of the high-end hotel brands with the most signed contracts under Shimao Star Hotels, Shiyu Hotel also adheres to the brand spirit of ‘Hidden in the world, refined as Imperial’, highlighting the style of each destination. It brings guests a wonderful and diverse ‘Imperial’ style hotel experience. Gaobeidian Shimao Shiyu Hotel, Shuyang Shiyu Hotel, Shanghai Chongming Youyou Shiyu Villa Hotel, Huizhou Luofu Mountain Kebinli Shiyu Hotel, Yunnan Honghe Jianshui Shiyu Boutique Hotel have all opened one after another. The meticulous brand layout will continue to help the surrounding tour market and lead the new high point of local hotel consumption. Following the signing of Huai’an Hongze Lake Shiyu Hotel, Shangrao Poyang Fuli Shiyu Boutique Hotel, Beijing Yanqing China Banking Shiyu Hotel, Shangrao High-speed Railway Station Shiyu Hotel, Qingdao Science and Innovation Park Shiyu Hotel, Xi’an Xianyang Cultural Creative Shiyu Boutique Hotel, Kunming Xi Ting Shiyu Hotel, the Shiyu brand hotel has reached 40.

The Shimao Yuhu Courtyard Boutique Hotel in Jianshui, Honghe takes the modern living experience as the core. The Maoyuju service apartment adheres to the ‘royal’ service spirit and creates a home-like experience for long-stay guests with professional hotel-style management concepts. The Maoyuju service apartment on Zhuhai artificial island, the Maoyuju service apartment in Fushan, Yantai, the Maoyuju apartment in Qingdao Science and Innovation Park, and the Maoyuju service apartment in Nantong Huifeng Building will all meet consumers in the near future.

Breaking the ideological deadlock and achieving an inspired business travel experience. Relying on the new opportunity of cultural and tourism integration, Shimao Starwood continues to promote the quality and personalized development of hotels. It provides high-quality services for guests and starts an inspired business travel experience. Its hotel brands, MiniMax Premier and MiniMax Premier Select, will continue to make strong inroads into emerging domestic tourist cities and bring guests a new immersive inspired journey. In the second half of this year, the MiniMax Premier Chengdu Longquanyi by Shimao will officially open in Longquanyi District, Chengdu, which has many historical sites and beautiful natural scenery. It will start a valuable, dimensional, warm and textured inspired journey for guests in Bashu style. The MiniMax Premier Hotel in Qingdao Science and Innovation Park signed this time is also the 37th hotel in the MiniMax Premier series brand camp. Rendering of MiniMax Premier Chengdu Longquanyi by Shimao.

Technical services from the owner’s perspective to escort the hotel development and construction cycle. Shimao Starwood has always been committed to escorting owners from the owner’s perspective. It provides professional guidance for the entire hotel development link including project positioning, planning and design, construction, cost control, etc. It continuously guides the cost and space optimization of projects with innovative research. Helping owners save construction costs and increase hotel investment returns. For example, in a complex of a Maoyu hotel and a Yuhu hotel under its umbrella, through the joint operation mode planning and design, 6,000 square meters of space area is saved for the owner, and Shimao Starwood has implemented a technical service owner satisfaction survey mechanism for hotel management companies. In the first half of 2021, they conducted nearly a hundred business trips to the engineering sites of contracted output management projects, achieving a 100% owner satisfaction rate. The company is committed to fine operation and management to maximize owner profits.

Shimao Starwood Hotel Group leverages the rich operational and management experience of Shimao Hotels. Over 16 years of trusteeship cooperation with international hotel groups, it has accumulated practical experience in hotel operations and developed an ‘owner thinking’ approach that is deeply familiar with the Chinese market, along with an ‘international vision’ in brand building.

In the post-epidemic era, the company not only faces the impact of changes in the consumer market but also intense market competition, changes in the supply-demand relationship, and operational issues such as high costs and single revenue streams. Despite these challenges, Shimao Starwood has turned adversity into opportunity, embracing market innovation and ‘symbiosis’ to find new growth points and work with partners to withstand market impacts and challenges posed by the epidemic.

In the first half of 2021, the revenue of Shimao Starwood’s full-service brand hotels increased by 21% compared to 2019, with an average EBITDA rate of 36%. The EBITDA rate for Shimao Maoyu Hotel in Chengdu reached 40%, and for Yulong Wuyi Resort by Shimao, it was 42%. The Gross Operating Profit (GOP), another key indicator of hotel operations, also showed pleasing results, with an average of 59% across the selected service brand hotels. By June of this year, the two Fanxiang hotels, representing lifestyle boutique hotels, had embraced market opportunities and improved their profit models, with GOP rates exceeding 58%.

Shimao Star Hotels Group has been dedicated to the joint development of diversified formats since its inception, relying on the Shimao Group’s ‘large aircraft strategy’ to establish a hotel industry ecosystem and empower hotel project management. Collaborating with procurement, technology, and construction companies under Shimao Hotel Company, Shimao Star helps owners save costs and innovate products significantly. The procurement company has served several output management project owners, including Jiangxi Shangrao Fulishi Yu Hotel, Yunnan Airport Hilton DoubleTree Hotel, Wuxi Nanchang Street Gu Canal Shiyu Hotel, and Qingdao Zhanqiao Shiyu Hotel. Strategic centralized procurement includes 107 strategic sections, with 47 during the hotel construction phase and 16 during operations, offering industry-advantageous prices and a contract amount exceeding 130 million in the first half of 2021, with innovative IP product sales revenue accounting for over 60%.

In the field of intelligent technology, the technology company under Shimao Star focuses on intelligent solutions and integrated services for the hotel industry. It improves hotel customer satisfaction and helps owners build a ‘smart hotel system’ from guest check-in to back-end operation management, including 24 sub-products. In the first half of 2021, it achieved revenue of over 30 million yuan.

The construction company under Shimao Star, incubated from the original Shimao Huanhu City Company, leverages the advantages of both the construction and owner parties, with rich experience in large-scale international hotel development and urban construction. It has a deep understanding of current design and construction trends, better assisting Chinese hotels in building hotels with national characteristics that meet market demands. Completed projects include the new construction of Shanghai Sheshan Shimao InterContinental Hotel, renovation and transformation of Shanghai Royal Meridien Hotel, renovation and transformation of Shanghai Sheshan Maoyu Zhenpin Selection Hotel, and new construction of Shimao Yurong Shanghai Sheshan Resort Hotel.

Shimao Star focuses on talent team building, strengthening employee empowerment, actively cultivating professional hotel management talents, and building a cross-training platform for employees from managed hotels to self-operated hotels. This provides group-wide cross-hotel work support and transfer opportunities, setting industry service benchmarks.With the strong support of the Shimao Group, Shimao Star has achieved significant recognition, winning titles such as ‘Kincentric China’s Best Employer’ and ‘Best Oriental Tourism Service Industry’s Best Employer’. This affirmation from the industry is a testament to the company’s commitment to excellence.

Simultaneously, Shimao Star is dedicated to implementing the group’s philosophy and exceeding the expectations of its cooperative customers. To activate talent and allow employees to realize their self-worth, the company actively organizes various activities. These include the ‘Hundred Changes M Jun Skill Competition’ and other interactions, which give employees a continuous sense of the corporate culture that is deeply rooted in their hearts. These events provide a platform for display, exchange, and improvement.

Furthermore, Shimao Star is committed to developing school-enterprise cooperation models. The company has合作 with institutions such as Liaoning Normal University Haihua College to establish a ‘Shimao Hotel Class’, Wuhan Transportation Vocational College, Dalian Economic and Technological Development Zone Secondary Vocational Technical Professional School, Tianjin University of Commerce International Education Cooperation College, and Sichuan Modern Vocational College for a ‘Shimao Xida Chengdu Area Hotel Order Class’. These collaborations fully reflect Shimao Star’s outstanding performance in talent strategy and its contribution to the development of talent in China’s hotel industry.

Looking ahead, Shimao Star Hotels will continue to empower urban and regional development, driving the coordination of regional development along the north-south artery. The company will also actively embrace the innovation and operation of digital hotel scenarios, promoting industry transformation.

Shimao Star Hotels aims to offer distinctive brand experiences to meet the diverse consumption needs of its guests. With a long-term vision and an innovative perspective, the brand will develop an international path and a lightweight asset output strategy. This approach will allow the national hotel brand to stand in China and face the world.

The list of 16 newly signed hotel projects by Shimao Star Hotels includes notable properties such as the Chongqing Jiangbei Mouth Hongrui International Hotel, located in the core of Jiangbei Mouth CBD and the main urban landscape axis. This hotel, adjacent to Central Park and Central Plaza, offers a broad view and a dual view of the Yangtze River and Jiangbei Mouth Central Park. With convenient transportation, it will be the first high-star boutique full-service hotel in the area upon completion, meeting the comprehensive service and accommodation needs of tourists in the surrounding destinations. Shimao Star Hotel Group will act as a technical service consultant for this project, providing full-process support from development to construction stages.

Another project is the Hangzhou Gongshu Asian Games Park Maoyu Hotel, located on Fengqing Road, Gongshu District, Hangzhou City. The hotel’s convenient access, proximity to the Liu Shi Elevated Highway connecting Hangzhou’s transportation hub and Hangzhou North Bus Station, and its surroundings, which include the Asian Games Park stadium used in the 2022 Asian Games, well-known medical institutions, Xixi National Wetland Park, and renowned educational institutions, make it a strategic addition. The hotel features a well-designed all-day dining restaurant, luxurious private rooms, a 1000 square meter pillar-free banquet hall, and supporting meeting facilities.

In Huai’an City, Jiangsu Province, the Huai’an Maoyu Hotel & Huai’an Shiyu Hotel are located in Hongze District, on the north side of Provincial Highway 348 and the east side of Hongsan Road. Their convenient transportation, closeness to Provincial Highway 348, and proximity to Hongze Bus Station, as well as their adjacency to the National 4A Scenic Area – Hongze Lake Ancient Weir Tourist Scenic Area and Fantawild Boonie Bears Theme Park, make them prime locations. Upon completion, they will become the first dual landmark high-star full-service hotel group in Huai’an City, providing high-quality service facilities for the tourism industry, a key area for development in the region.

The Shangrao Poyang Furui Shiyu Boutique Hotel, located in an intelligent eco-estate in Poyang County, Shangrao City, Jiangxi Province, covers an area of about 4,200 acres. This hotel will enhance the quality of the entire project and enrich its functional diversity as part of the industrial chain. Adhering to the concept of green ecology, it will integrate green ecological and health elements, providing functions such as catering, banquet meetings, indoor parks, and fitness facilities, creating a popular destination hotel, and providing comprehensive services to meet accommodation needs.

Lastly, the Yantai Fushan Maoyu Hotel & Yantai Fushan Maoyu Residence Service Apartment are located in the core area of Fushan District, Yantai. The hotel and service apartment are situated at the intersection of the traditional commercial core area and the political center, offering a strategic location for business and leisure travelers.The Shimao Central Hotel in Yanqing, Beijing, is a designated unit for central party and government meetings and served as the official reception hotel for the 2022 Winter Olympics. Located at No. 12 Qingyuan Street, Yanqing County, Beijing, the hotel is conveniently situated 15 kilometers from the Badaling Great Wall, 89 kilometers from Beijing Station, 96 kilometers from Beijing Capital Airport, and 160 kilometers from Beijing Daxing Airport. With a total area of approximately 16,425 square meters, the hotel offers a range of services and amenities.

In Jiangxi Province, the Shimao Hotel at Shangrao High-Speed Railway Station is located in the High-Speed Rail New District, east of Shangrao City. Adjacent to the Shangrao High-Speed Railway Station and the Tourism Distribution Center, the hotel is strategically placed on the main tourist walkway. It features 284 rooms, with the lobby on the first floor and guest rooms on the 30th to 45th floors. The podium (1-3 floors) includes fitness pools, dining, conference, and reception facilities, catering to the tourism crowds from the distribution center.

The Qingdao Science and Innovation Park Rui Xuan Hotel & Qingdao Science and Innovation Park Mao Yu Apartment are located at No. 395 Nanjing Road, Shibei District, Qingdao City. Nestled in the core CBD area of Shibei District, Qingdao, the hotel and apartment complex is close to Central Park and Central Square, offering expansive views of the surroundings. Upon completion, it will be the first integrated complex of boutique business hotel and high-end apartments in the area, providing quality services and diversified amenities for the rapid development of Qingdao CBD.

The Shimao Central Hotel at Qingdao Science and Innovation Park, located at No. 393 Nanjing Road, Shibei District, Qingdao City, is the second Shimao brand hotel signed in the Qingdao area and the first high-star full-service hotel in the region. Situated in the core CBD area of Shibei District, Qingdao, the hotel offers broad views of the surroundings and provides top-notch amenities for the rapid development of Qingdao CBD.

In Nantong, the Hang Seng Building Mao Yu Residence Service Apartment is located in the North Street Business District near the Nantong Railway Station. Situated in the core area of the Xinbei New District, Nantong City, with a total construction area of about 55,000 square meters, the apartment offers high-quality services to guests.

The Xi’an Xixian Cultural and Creative Shimao Boutique Hotel is located in the International Cultural and Creative Town, Xi’an Xixian New District. The hotel, covering an area of about 80 acres with a total construction area of 205,000 square meters, is focused on developing a dual-creation ecosystem that integrates co-working, small-scale exhibitions, entrepreneurial apartments, and supporting commercial facilities. It aims to build a national foreign trade platform around ‘culture + trade’, creating the most creative and entrepreneurial atmosphere in the western region, becoming the most vibrant ‘Dream Creation Show’ in Greater Xi’an. The project is adjacent to a vast ecological wetland park, with easy access to the Lianhuo Expressway, Metro Line 5, the bypass expressway, and the high-speed train station of Epang Palace, about 25 kilometers from the airport, ensuring smooth and convenient travel.

The Kunming Xi Ting Shimao Hotel is located at the intersection of Caiyun North Road and Erji Road in Guandu District, Kunming City, Yunnan Province. Situated in the commercial center of the southern part of Kunming, close to the Century City Business Center, the hotel is within a 3-kilometer radius of famous tourist attractions such as the new museum of Yunnan Province, Guandu Ancient Town, and Yunnan Grand Theater, offering convenient transportation and rich business resources.

The Zhongshan Forest Maoyu Hotel in Lanzhou is located at the southwest corner of Zhongshan Forest Cross in Chengguan District, Lanzhou City. Situated at the intersection of Baiyin Road and West Railway Station Road in Lanzhou, the hotel boasts convenient transportation. It is close to Gansu Daily and Gansu Post and Telecommunication Building, 2 kilometers away from the city center of Lanzhou, about 3.5 kilometers from both the Lanzhou City Government and Gansu Provincial Government, 3 kilometers from the famous Yellow River Zhongshan Bridge scenic spot in Lanzhou, and 7 kilometers from Lanzhou High-Speed West Station.The hotel project is surrounded by diverse property formats, gathering travel destinations, universities, government functional departments, and a variety of commercial and residential areas.

About Shimao Star Hotels Group:
Shimao Star Hotels Group is an international hotel group jointly created by Shimao Group and Starwood Capital. It focuses on the rapidly developing Chinese hotel market, deeply involved in the economic and tourism development areas mainly in first and second-tier cities, and engages in hotel development, brand operation, and asset management.

Shimao Star Hotels has seven distinctive hotel brands, including Yu Rong, Maoyu, Shiyu, Maoyu Residence, Fanxiang, Ruixuan Shangpin, and Ruixuan, achieving a full range of brand lineup from high-end full-service to mid-range selected services, from urban hotels to characteristic resort hotels, and apartment products. In 2019, they launched a new lifestyle hotel brand, Fanxiang, tailored for the Chinese millennial generation.

As of July 30, 2021, Shimao Star Hotels has more than 136 hotels in operation and under development, of which 19 have been put into operation.