LONG
S T A Y
LUXURY
S
ome business travellers and expats may
regard serviced apartments simply as
temporary places to stay for, at most, a few
months before nding a permanent place
to live in a new city or country. ey do not
expect, nor require, the same luxuries one
might nd in high-end hotels.
For lawyer Tejaswi Nimmagadda, who moved to
Hong Kong in 2016 and initially stayed in a serviced
apartment, all he needed was “a functional apartment
and close proximity to work and other transportation so
I could easily attend apartment viewings”.
But serviced apartment owners and operators are
recognising a new trend among their guests at the higher
end of the market: many are seeking out accommodation
that o ers a more luxurious experience.
“We can look at many di erent accommodation
projects, and a lot of them are what we call ‘cookie-
cutter’,” says Paul Cunningham, general manager of
K11 Artus, a 14-storey, 287-unit serviced residence on
Hong Kong’s Victoria Dockside. “People are looking for
something more unique.”
K11 Artus, which is set to open in the third quarter
of 2019, is being billed in press releases as K11 Group’s
“ rst ultra-private luxury residential development”. What
this translates to is that guests will have the chance to
enjoy suites with wraparound balconies a ording views
of Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong’s iconic skyline.
ere are also private li s that go straight up to the top
oors for guests who prefer to come and go discretely.
Besides o ering the comprehensive hotel services that
can be found in most serviced apartments, K11 Artus
aims to “rede ne the luxury residence experience” by
introducing a new “Artisanal Home” concept.
is will see traditional Chinese artisanal works
displayed inside K11 Artus, including in the 10th oor
Social Salon, which is “conceived as an extension of one’s
home and a place for both quiet contemplation and
entertainment for residents and guests”.
Guests will be able to buy these artworks, with the
proceeds used to support artists. Guests will also be able
to participate in the in-house cultural salons hosted by
prominent cultural gures throughout the year.
is concept is also re ected in the property’s name,
with “Artus” being a compound of the word “Art” and
the latin term “domus” that means “home”.
“We are trying to attract the type of clients who want
to live in an inspiring environment. It’s a hub incubated
for cultural creatives,” says Cunningham.Serviced apartment operators are
stepping up their game to satisfy the
demands of more discerning guestsWORDS JACKIE CHEN
businesstraveller.com JULY/AUGUST^2019