A Q&A with the General Manager of Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong — the group’s revamped flagship property — on the brand-new family rooms and facilities, updated wellness offerings, and more.

All photos courtesy of Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong

In your view, what have been the biggest shifts in the hospitality industry since joining Shangri-La Group in 2010?

Technology and adaptation within hotels has changed enormously in the last decade. We are always using technology to make the guest experience as smooth as possible for the guest — from pre-stay, such as finding the right room, to booking the right experiences through to checkout. At Shangri-La we have our own app for Golden Circle members, and today you don’t need to call housekeeping anymore if you want an extra pillow or water — you can just enter items into the app for seamless service.

Saying this, technology may have become key to the hotel industry, but it hasn’t replaced the human touch. What has not changed is that people have a deep desire to talk and interact with others during their stays in luxury hotels. I think the key component is that no matter how smooth your technology is, the people and the service will always be the key to having luxury customers come back and stay loyal.

You were deeply involved in establishing Shangri-La’s millennial-focused brand Hotel Jen in Singapore, and then launching its flagship in Beijing. How have those experiences informed the way you look at or oversee operations?

We launched the Jen brand for millennials in 2013, and it is those very same millennials we were targeting that have now become Island Shangri-La’s guest demographic.

What was fantastic about the Jen brand is the deep local connection we developed in both Singapore and Beijing — finding artisanal craftsmanship, celebrating local subcultures, hosting events, and customizing guests’ journeys that allowed people visiting our cities to instantly know what was hip and get those connections.

An example that worked very well at Jen Singapore, which I want to replicate at Island Shangri-La, was that we created a staff-recommended map of Singapore, asking our employees to input their favorite spot for local noodles or a beer. We thought maybe it was “too local,” but our guests loved it. That was exactly what they were looking for — a deep local connection to the city they were visiting.

What were the primary drivers or ideas behind Island Shangri-La’s repositioning as an urban oasis, and the renewed focus on leisure and family travel?

From a business perspective, Covid heavily disrupted business travel and there was a need to diversify so that we were not just standing on one leg, but could offer both business and leisure to our guests.

From a guest experience perspective, offering both business and leisure allows customers to combine their travels — guests here at Island Shangri-La will often stay two nights for business and then fly in their families for a two-night stay.

And I also think that for pure business travelers, it’s important to offer them a space that is conducive to business — but also a space where they can retreat and recharge and refuel themselves in between their meetings too.

The Hangout on the Family Floor features a grab-and-go station loaded with goodies for all ages.

Could you give us a primer on the newly launched Family Floor? What special services and amenities are provided for junior guests?

The entire 45th floor of the Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong has been designed for families, heralding a new standard of luxury for guests looking to spend quality time with their children.

The 21 luxurious themed rooms and suites, designed to make time away with little ones extra special with a smooth, stress-free stay that does not compromise on style or comfort, are complemented by exclusive family services, including The Hangout — a beautifully designed living-dining-play room and The Pantry, which offers a wide range of children-related appliances for parents to use, so that the whole family can enjoy exploring Hong Kong.

Learning and discovery go hand in hand with six exciting themed rooms for children that feature a slide, a personalized nameplate, interactive lights and sounds, a treasure trove of toys, and special outfits for role-play. Hand-painted by a group of local artists, secret animals and motifs around the room are only visible in the beam of a special UV torch. The parents’ spacious, sophisticated ensuite bedroom reflects the nature theme with delicate embroidered details and elegant furnishings. It doubles as a family room and has a large pantry.

The Hong Kong Wonders family suite at Island Shangri-La. — The tram-inspired bunk bed inside the hotel’s new Hong Kong Wonders family suite.

The Hong Kong Wonders suite has a bunk bed that looks just like the iconic green trams that cross the city. There is a slide on the upper deck, and interactive panels with buttons and pedals allow children to control sounds and lights. Created by local artist Don Mark, the mural portrays Hong Kong’s iconic landmarks, vibrant neon lights, and rural landscapes.

The Safari Adventure suite recreates the excitement of being on a real safari in a campsite with a canvas-tented bunk bed and a suspension bridge leading to a slide. A treasure chest is filled with toys, a wooden puzzle plays real animal sounds, and the mural shows African terrain.

The Hangout is a lively communal hub with three parts: a grab-and-go station with food counters for children and adults that serve healthy refreshments with sweeping views of The Peak as a backdrop. The adjacent workshop room is designed for children’s activities and board games galore, as well as a dedicated space for creative activities, bookshelves filled with carefully selected books in different languages for all ages, and a well-equipped bathroom with a diaper-changing table. The sitting room, a cozy space decorated with botanical wallpaper and comfortable armchairs, is ideal for relaxing with friends and family, playing board games and reading.

The Pantry features a washing machine, tumble dryer, and other essential pieces of equipment. — The Pantry features a washing machine, tumble dryer, and other essential equipment.

The Pantry is a centrally located and thoughtfully designed communal space with all the creature comforts of home, including a washing machine and tumble dryer, and a washbasin, microwave, and other essentials to enable easy preparation or reheating of meals for children. There is a wide range of children-related quality appliances from strollers to bottle warmers for parents to use, so that the whole family can enjoy exploring Hong Kong without the need to pack every necessity.

The hotel’s expansive 8th-floor pool deck now features an exclusive outdoor Waterplay area designed as a joyful space for families. Crafted with safety in mind for children up to the age of six, the area includes a toddler paddling pool, a splash park with a water tunnel, water jets, and LED lights, as well as playful flower sculptures and an interactive Whack-a-mole wall. These features can be activated to spray water in a riparian environment, creating an enchanting playground that sparks children’s imaginations. Luxury cabanas are available for guests to relax and enjoy Island Shangri-La’s poolside service. Guests on the 45th floor will also receive a pool bag with amenities, and additional supplies such as pool toys and swimming diapers are provided on the pool deck for added convenience.

A relaxation lounge inside Yun Wellness, the hotel’s new-look spa and wellness center.

Covid spurred a greater interest in wellbeing worldwide. What up-to-date features does Yun Wellness have, and what makes it stand out from other spas in Hong Kong?

We launched Yun Wellness as a nature-inspired urban oasis offering therapies and holistic wellness experiences infused with Shangri-La’s unique Asian hospitality for guests at every stage of their life.

Featuring a carefully curated collection of holistic wellness treatments tailored to individual needs, Yun Wellness seeks to offer an approach that simultaneously addresses the physical, emotional, and mental components to health. As such, Yun Wellness offers everything from body treatments to facials through to pre- and postnatal care; on to physiotherapy, osteopathy, personal training and nutrition advice — all provided by a highly experienced team of wellness practitioners that support guests throughout their wellness journey.

Clifford Weiner of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts

Stay inspired with our DestinAsian newsletters