Company update: Langham Dubai properties

Hong Kong-based Langham Hospitality Group’s first Middle East property, The Langham, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, is earmarked to open towards the end of 2016, and will be the company’s first resort in the world. Owned by DAS Real Estate, the 323-key property on the crescent of Palm Jumeirah has now been topped out.

It will cater to couples and large families, and will feature 53 one- and two-bedroom suites that range from 63 – 236m2, 22 of which will have individual plunge pools.

“Our brand print for our service standards is very strong, so we’re going to stand apart in terms of this,” explains Duncan Palmer, managing director — The Langham London, regional vice president, Europe, Langham Hospitality Group in an interview with Hotelier Middle East.

“The differential for us will be that it’s pared down in terms of size. There are some hotels on The Palm that are more sizeable than ours, so by the nature of its size, it’s going to be more luxurious in style and service standards. We’ve set those up very well from our flagship in London and our other properties around the world.”

Embodying The Langham’s feminine charm, lobby service stylists dressed in the operator’s signature pink uniform will “have a way of engaging and serving the clients”.

“These are people away from the operations that simply deliver hospitality from the moment you step into the hotel,” he says. “They are very cultured in their training, immersed in the local culture of their cities, and have all the information to hand.”

A travellers lounge is another element that Palmer feels is “quite unique” to Langham. These will feature food and beverage and shower rooms for guests arriving and leaving at awkward hours.

“As we become established, we’ll have higher occupancy and there will be a need to look after these people and show some hospitality on their arrival, and indeed on their departures,” he says.

As well as being the Hong Kong-based hotel operator’s first foray into the Middle East region, the Dubai location will be its first resort in the global collection.

“We believe the Langham Dubai will be akin to the best resorts you have around the world. You’ll have a pool concierge who will know your favourite sun tan lotion and what you drink,” he states.

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The company is also looking at creating more resorts around the world — mainly in Asia — and is yet to finalise agreements.

With 550-580 staff to be recruited for the Dubai property, the hiring process will begin in quarter four of 2015, and already, a sales and marketing consultant is on board to implement the strategy for the hotel.

Not confusing Langham with Dukes or other British brands, Palmer is clear that the property will be “classic rather than traditional” in terms of interiors.

“The Langham London has a light marble lobby and I think there will be classic touches in the Dubai property. Often people perceive traditional as something that’s old-fashioned and dark in colour, so it’s not going to be like that.”

This extends to the service, which he asserts will be more European than English. “English hotels can be formal and not very welcoming, so ours is more of a European style of service. It’s service with poise, an enchanting style that creates memories and a differential.”

While parent company of Langham Hospitality, Great Eagle Holdings Limited is a Chinese real estate company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, the brand touch points have come from the company’s flagship property — The Langham London. Located on Regent Street, in the West End of the UK capital, it was according to Palmer, “Europe’s first ‘grand hotel’”, having opened its doors in 1865.

Great Eagle Holdings took over management of the property from Hilton Worldwide in 1998 — along with five other properties it owned — and these were the debut hotels under its new management arm, Langham Hospitality Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the firm.

“Once we acquired these properties in the late nineties it was a good opportunity to create the company and brand positioning,” says Palmer.

Now with 22 hotels in its portfolio in Asia, New Zealand and North America, Langham has 13 more in the pipeline, with aspirations to develop “around 100 hotels over the next five to seven years”.

Palmer has revealed that around six to eight of these hotels will be in the Middle East, and the company is already in negotiations in the region. One is being discussed for a second city location in Dubai, and the company is in talks for properties in Doha and Abu Dhabi.

“With Dubai we have aspirations and we’re in close discussions to do another property. That will be different — it will be from the Langham family and it won’t be on The Palm,” comments Palmer.

“In addition to that, we’re also in negotiations for opportunities in Abu Dhabi and Doha. We have aspirations to position ourselves in the Middle East. We haven’t yet in Europe, but we want to tackle the Middle East first, as we think that’s more important at this particular juncture,” says Palmer.

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“We’re well positioned out of Asia; we’ve spent several billion dollars to build our company, and we’ve done it with a degree of thought and careful evolution over the last 10 years, so we’re now ready to give developers and owners a credible brand.”

While Palmer admits that there are currently challenges in Dubai in terms of occupancy and average rates, he believes that these will “settle down quickly”.

“I still think it’s a wonderful destination; you’ve got some very iconic and innovative hotels. The new ones are only going to bring more marketing dollars, so I think the influx can only help in the short-run. We’re looking at Dubai now because I think over the last 10 years we’ve done things in our own back yard with a degree of sincerity, professionalism, innovation and evolution.

“We can now go to the worldwide market and say ‘look, we have a good, unique proposition in the way we manage our hotels and in the way we make good profits’.”

Langham Hospitality Group brands

• The Langham Hotels

Langham Hospitality Group’s flagship brand has “graceful and timeless elegance, presenting classic themes accented with personality... and a certain quirky charm”.

• Langham Place Hotels

Similar in stature to The Langham Hotels brand, but with a focus on location, modern elegance, modern art, music and F&B, with hints of classic heritage.

• Cordis Hotels & Resorts

An upper upscale brand, Cordis will be a group of curated hotels with an emphasis on personalised services, technology and authentic experiences. There will also be a focus on wellness, with healthy cuisine and plentiful leisure facilities offered.

• Eaton Hotels

An upscale, approachable, neighbourhood brand with an artistic, lifestyle offering. Eaton Hotels will have clever, modern design, an enthusiastic ‘can-do’ service culture, and an ongoing commitment to sustainability throughout its properties.