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  • China's luxury hotel scene is booming.

  • New hotels are opening up everywhere you look.

  • So I've come here to understand just where this trend might be headed.

  • From the Bulgari hotel in Shanghai to the Rosewood in Hong Kong,

  • these luxury hotels are just the tip of the iceberg in China.

  • I'm starting in Shanghai at two brand-new five-star hotels.

  • Then I'm heading to Beijing to get inside this millennial-focused members-only club

  • that is so much more than just a hotel.

  • My luxury hotel experience ends in Hong Kong, at this presidential suite 57 floors high,

  • and you're not going to believe the price tag per night.

  • Join me as I bring you inside some of China's newest luxury hotels.

  • Despite the Chinese economy slowing down last year for the first time in nearly three decades,

  • the Chinese consumer's expensive taste is still driving the growth of the luxury market.

  • The knowledge of the Chinese luxury traveler has grown exponentially.

  • The Chinese customer now, they are very well educated. They're much more now into personalized service.

  • In fact, for the first time ever, there are now more Chinese people in the top 10%

  • of the richest people in the world than there are Americans.

  • It's this group of people fuelling the growth of the luxury sector.

  • Chinese consumers are expected to account for about two-thirds of the industry's growth.

  • And luxury hotels are hoping to reap the benefits,

  • with the region's major cities all growing their stock of five-star rooms.

  • Beijing leads the way with about 40,000 five-star rooms, followed by Shanghai, Macau and Hong Kong.

  • The Chinese luxury traveler is the most booming segment of luxury in the world.

  • And a lot of China's luxury growth is being driven by its younger generation.

  • The average luxury traveler in China is 33 years old vs 56 years old in the U.S.

  • The Chinese millennial is a little bit more sophisticated.

  • These young millennials have already seen the world.

  • Now they're looking for an experience that the world doesn't really know exists yet.

  • So how are the latest hotel offerings hoping to cater to these young, luxury travelers?

  • Let's find out.

  • Here in the heart of one of Shanghai's most popular shopping districts, is the Shanghai Edition.

  • I arrive at the hotel, which opened its doors a year ago and I am immediately struck

  • by the lobby that doesn't quite feel like a lobby.

  • It's a nice place to have a fabulous cocktail, and you just never know who you will see walking through the lobby.

  • The social lobby is meant to emulate a town square.

  • The hotel attracts mostly 25 to 35-year olds, primarily Chinese, and the demographic skews female.

  • With such a young demographic, you can bet that technology is the name of the game.

  • You can use your phone to get into your room.

  • And soon, they tell me, all guests will need is to show their face.

  • The Edition says it's all about creating an experience full of discovery.

  • This is called the club room, and it's a spacious lounge dedicated to hotel guests only.

  • And it's really meant to really emulate that feel of a private members club.

  • A few minutes away lies this newly-opened Bulgari Hotel,

  • it's the sixth hotel opened by the luxury Italian jewelry brand.

  • Adjacent to the hotel is this restaurant and ballroom,

  • which was formerly the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce.

  • From the tiles to the roof, it's all been preserved to maintain its original feel

  • and now this space is used for everything from fashion shows to corporate events and weddings.

  • There are 19 luxury suites here, but there's one in particular that catches my eye.

  • Here is the signature suite. It's called the Bulgari Suite.

  • The price tag? $20,000 per night, plus tax.

  • Next, I'm headed to Beijing, where I visit Chao. And don't call it just a hotel.

  • Chao is a lifestyle brand for millennials.

  • Besides the usual accommodations and restaurants, it also serves as a members-only club,

  • which hosts regular events ranging from art exhibitions to movie screenings.

  • We wanted to address the crowd that is rather millennial in its attitude.

  • Our clients tend to have a vision of their environment which is unscripted.

  • "I want breakfast, but I want the experience of breakfast, I want the emotion of breakfast."

  • This staircase leads you to an event space.

  • The reception is off to the side, where staff is all dressed in sleek streetwear.

  • The design elements are fleshed out to a tee.

  • The staff is situated on the same side as the counter as not to create a gap between the staff and the guest.

  • Everything you see here is somewhat unconventional.

  • This isn't typically what you would see when you enter a hotel.

  • Exactly, that's not even a lobby. It's an introduction to a concept.

  • It has an element of discovery. You have not experienced the product

  • before you connect with the product. They're seeking stories to tell. They're seeking experiences to live.

  • And the elements of discovery William refers to is apparent even during my tour.

  • Behind the bar is this wine cellar which isn't just used for wine, but also for private events,

  • and the events are for members only.

  • And while the restaurants here are open to the public,

  • you'll need to apply for a membership to enter the clubhouse.

  • But before you can even think of applying, you'll need to be nominated by two current members.

  • Now Chao is looking to expand the brand beyond Beijing.

  • Finally, I end my luxury hotel tour in Hong Kong.

  • I've come to the St. Regis in Hong Kong which only opened several months ago.

  • Now when guests arrive here, instead of going to a front desk to check-in,

  • they're greeted by a butler who escorts them to their room.

  • As soon as you come out of your car, we immediately put you at ease.

  • We take you through the journey of the hotel and we 100% check you in your room

  • and at that time we've determined whether you want full butler service,

  • you want partial butler service or if you just want to be left alone.

  • The St. Regis has 129 rooms and I get a glimpse inside the most prestigious one,

  • the Presidential Suite.

  • This 250-square meter suite is opulent in every sense of the word.

  • Finally, I'm ending my hotel journey at this newly opened Rosewood Hotel.

  • That notion of not creating hotels, but truly creating big family residences,

  • or mansions, or manors has been core to the brand.

  • Its spa puts others to shame.

  • Besides the usual treatments for your body, this spa also looks after your mind.

  • It even offers cognitive behavior therapy with a licensed practitioner.

  • There are 400 rooms here but I'm most interested in this one.

  • It's called the Harbour House, the Rosewood's version of the presidential suite.

  • It takes up the entire 57th floor and there're two pools,

  • one of which is an infinity pool that overlooks the Hong Kong skyline.

  • It's so big, at one point, I even get lost.

  • The price tag?

  • A whopping $100,000 a night, making it one of the most expensive hotel suites in the world.

  • Who is this for? Of course, for very few people,

  • dignitaries, celebrities, or simply, people who have had everything.

  • How do we surprise them? How do we create that wow effect?

  • We've had a few people that you would classify as billionaire coming here and really having this

  • moment, where they'vee just stopped and went, "I cannot believe this."

  • But believe it or not it's not just China's uber rich staying at these hotels.

  • At least, according to Craig Smith, the CEO for Marriott Asia-Pacific.

  • People will save up an entire year to have that little experience.

  • But in China, that's a multiplier effect. It's happening much faster and at a greater rate.

  • And it's not just the domestic luxury players that are benefitting from China's booming middle class.

  • Data suggests Chinese outbound tourists are growing at a rapid rate.

  • In 2015, Chinese tourists took 117 million outbound trips.

  • By 2020, that's expected to hit 160 million.

  • It's not just in China. It's China outbound business.

  • The greatest percentage of our travellers at our luxury hotels across all of Asia Pacific?

  • Chinese customers.

  • Hey guys, it's Uptin. Thanks for watching.

  • Check out more of our videos and let us know in the comments below, which hotel did you like the best?

  • While you're at it, subscribe to our channel and we'll see you next time.

China's luxury hotel scene is booming.

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