As China's wealthy grow ever more hungry for boutique hotels, Swire Properties plans its third hotel in mainland China, The Middle House.
Located in the heart of luxury shopping development HKRI Taikoo Hui in the bustling Jing'an District of Shanghai, the five-star boutique hotel will be the Hong Kong developer's fourth property under its “House Collective" umbrella, which also has boutique hotels in Beijing, Chengdu, and Hong Kong. The Middle House is scheduled to open later this year.
Swire's Shanghai debut comes just a year after the developer launched its Miami EAST Hotel as part of a mixed-used development called Brickell City Center. The hotel in Miami, an up and coming destination for Chinese travelers that saw a boom in visitors last year despite a lack of direct flights from China, was Swire's first property in the United States. Company representatives say there are likely to be more in the works.
The Middle House will work with New York-based chef Gray Kunz for its award-winning, upscale Café Gray Deluxe, which first made its debut in Hong Kong. The hotel itself is designed by Milan-based Piero Lissoni, and set in Shanghai’s historic Dazhongli neighborhood.
Close by, the HKRI Taikoo Hui shopping mall is opening 250 retail stores and 45 eateries, serving as a launchpad for several never-before-seen concepts from luxury and premium brands in Shanghai. Swarovski will open its flagship store in the complex, while Starbucks is launching its second upscale Roastery and Reserve Tasting Room after its Seattle location. Currently, the mall features an exclusive Star Wars exhibition to gear up visitors for an incoming Disney Store.
While Shanghai is a coveted destination for international tourists, with their creative and experiential events and exhibitions, hotel groups are also targeting weekend visitors from around the area.