FRHI Hotels & Resorts, in a joint venture with China's Jiangsu Golden Land Group, announced the debut of Neqta Hotels, a new brand and hotel portfolio consisting of upper midscale hotels across China. The inaugural hotel to fly the Neqta flag opened today in Shanghai's Xuhui District, close to the city's World Expo site, and a second state-of-the-art hotel is expected to debut soon in Nanjing.
"With domestic business travel on the rise and market research indicating Chinese consumer spending will more than double over the next five years, we see this as a remarkable opportunity to further grow our footprint in China," said Wayne Buckingham, FRHI's senior VP of operations, Asia Pacific and chairman of the new venture. "Guided by extensive research and our own customer insights, we have designed a contemporary hotel brand that will be highly attractive to both property developers and the Chinese consumer, in particular the millennial business traveler in the 22 to 40 age demographic."
Neqta Hotels aims to appeal to tech-savvy travelers who want an integration of work and life while away from home. Lifestyle will also play a key role in the guest experience with hotels featuring open lobbies that will serve as social hubs. These public spaces will be multi-functional, incorporating dining concepts that will see a breakfast and coffee shop by day transform into a vibrant cocktail bar and lounge.
Modern amenities, contemporary design and efficient service will be hallmarks of the Neqta brand. Notable hotel features will include ergonomically designed guest rooms with comfortable beds, rain-showers, large Bluetooth-enabled TVs and free Wi-Fi. Business travelers will also enjoy a one-stop arrival service catering to their individual needs and access to a selection of smaller and smart meeting areas that will have the flexibility to be converted for different uses and occasions.
