24 February 2020, Hong Kong SAR, China – Prince Hotel, located on Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, will close today for a major renovation that is expected to take 15 months to complete. A favourite hotel for global business and leisure travellers since 1984, Prince Hotel will be refreshed with new bedroom and bathroom furnishings and fixtures, a new Continental Club Lounge, as well as a new dining concept that celebrates the best of local and international cuisines. The hotel will reopen in Q3 2021 as Marco Polo Prince Hotel, and reflect the new contemporary elements that will enhance this well-known regional brand.
The contract for Phase 1 of the renovation was awarded in December 2019. The abnormal market outlook has caused management to rethink the benefits of a full closure to enable Phase 2 to be accelerated to achieve overall downtime and cost benefits. While this decision could have resulted in major staff reductions, no jobs will be lost as a result of the full closure. The key priority is to protect jobs and create a sustainable long term business future for the cluster of three Marco Polo Hotels, namely Prince Hotel, Gateway Hotel and Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel.
Since the cluster group of hotels have been practicing cost efficiencies and cost containment in light of both challenges of reduced inbound travel in 2019, and now the Covid-19 impact; the manpower strategies have focused on employee retention activities as the first priority. These include redeployment, internal projects, learning and development, as well as CSR initiatives to support the HK community.
“The Prince Hotel’s renovation programme is a positive statement and underlines the long term future of tourism to this city,” said Jennifer Cronin, President Wharf Hotels. “We are extremely proud of our group and the vision that has once again reinforced Wharf Hotels’ position as a leader in the hospitality sector. We are grateful to all our Associates who have worked extremely hard to deliver The Marco Polo Way during these unprecedented times. We look forward to rebuilding and strengthening Hong Kong’s reputation long into the future with the new Marco Polo Prince Hotel,” she said.
General Manager of Marco Polo Hotels – Hong Kong, Mr Dalip Singh said, “I would like to sincerely thank our loyal guests for their great support over the past years, as well as our Associates who shared their heartfelt passion for hospitality each day with all our guests. We have been proud to provide excellent accommodation and service, as well as making every stay at Prince Hotel a top-rated experience. We will be looking to do even more in the future.”
“Taking advantage of the renovation, we will cross-train staff at our sister hotels, with both Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel and Gateway Hotel offering continuous improvement to better equip our team with new skills. Our Associates are also encouraged to take part in various CSR activities, such as hand-made colouring books that will be sent to the Children’s Cancer Foundation and clean up Hong Kong’s hiking trails.”
“This renovation plan is in-line with our company’s commitment to providing exceptional product, delivering outstanding service and creating memorable experiences. During the transformation, guests can continue to enjoy The Marco Polo Way at Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel or Gateway Hotel, housed in Harbour City for an unforgettable stay. Prince Hotel looks forward to welcoming guests back in 2021.” Mr Singh said.
About Marco Polo Hotels – Hong Kong
EXPLORE DISCOVER EXPERIENCE
Situated in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon, the three Marco Polo hotels in Hong Kong SAR of China (Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel, Gateway Hotel and Prince Hotel), form part of Harbour City – Hong Kong’s largest shopping complex, with more than 450 shops and the world’s leading luxury brands.
The three hotels comprise 1,459 well-appointed guestrooms and suites, equipped with complimentary Wi-Fi, plus deluxe amenities. Every Marco Polo hotel befits the new-age traveller, be it business or pleasure, with elegant designs, impeccable service and all the modern comforts.
The three Marco Polo hotels in Hong Kong are part of Wharf Hotels, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Wharf (Holdings) Ltd, a Hong Kong-listed company with core business interests in property and investments in communications and container-terminal operations.
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