The Chedi Muscat — Photo by Chedi Hospitality
The Chedi Muscat — Photo by Chedi Hospitality

GHM, a luxury resort and hotel group that manages exclusive properties anchored in Southeast Asia, is launching its third decade with plans for new boutique properties in locales well beyond its traditional geographic base.

Over the next four years, as the new hotels come online in China and Switzerland, in India and the United Arab Emirates, GHM expects to double the size of its portfolio.

The developments include the following:

  • Two properties, in Suzhou, China and Andermatt, Switzerland, are now under construction and expected to open in late 2012 / early 2013 and the winter of 2013, respectively.
  • In Kona, Hawaii GHM is collaborating with Pritzker Architecture Prize-winner Tadao Ando on the development of a new 32-villa property situated on a hardened flow of lava.
  • Also in China, GHM has launched a new hotel brand, Ahn Luh, in collaboration with China's largest tourism group and a prominent real estate developer. The first two Ahn Luh properties are scheduled to open in two-to-three years.
  • GHM in December last year inked a development deal with partners in the United Arab Emirates, and has identified its first project as The Chedi Khorfakkan in Sharjah. New development deals are also in the planning stages for Cuba and Brazil.
"In our first 20 years, we pioneered resorts in some of the world's most up-and-coming destinations, from Ubud on Bali to Quang Nam in Vietnam, establishing an ambitious presence with hotels that melded lofty, contemporary design with exquisite, local architectural elements," said Hans Jenni, who co-founded GHM with Amanresorts visionary Adrian Zecha. "In this, the first year of our third decade, we're engineering the moves on a five-year plan of growth the likes of which we've never seen."

In preparation, GHM has just launched a completely redesigned Web site at www.GHMhotels.com. The new site opens the door on GHM with a more user-friendly layout and design, featuring a booking engine, rich visuals and regular news updates.

At the Chedi Club Suzhou, GHM is opening 36 rooms on three floors of the city's tallest building, Global 188. Additionally, the Chedi will feature a destination rooftop restaurant, a fitness centre and a spa replete with 15 treatment rooms.

In Andermatt, an emerging alternative to the ski resorts at St. Moritz and Gstaad, GHM plans to debut its largest hotel to date in the 169-room Chedi Andermatt, which includes 119 luxury apartments and residences of 96 - 550 square metres. The facilities will feature an apres ski bar, a wine-and-cigar library, a private outdoor skating rink, as well as a fitness centre, restaurant, and a bar and lounge.

In its first 20 years, GHM has earned a reputation for refined hotel designs, having worked with some of the world's most sought after and creative designers. Each new GHM hotel is a study in bold design, a trend that is likely to continue as the likes of Tadao Ando bear down on projects for the group.

The Kona design, for example, makes use of Ando's penchant for planes of exposed concrete and a topographically sensitive foundation.

"Because so many of our guests tend to spend a lot of time on property, we feel an additional, creative responsibility," said Jenni. "Each of our properties is not merely a hotel or a resort, but a setting, a destination in its own right, and thus, an opportunity to create a space that's not easily forgotten."

ABOUT GHM
Established in 1992, GHM (General Hotel Management Ltd.) is known for conceptualising, developing and operating an exclusive group of hotels and resorts. With an expansive portfolio and more projects in the pipeline, GHM prides itself in providing guests with an unrivalled lifestyle experience.

Each GHM property is an original. A symbiotic relationship between the hotel and the local culture enables GHM to provide guests with a genuine, close-up experience of the best each destination has to offer. The signature GHM style melds contemporary interpretations of Asian designs and distinctive local touches to create inspired, memorable spaces.

GHM's portfolio includes:

  • The Setai South Beach, Miami, USA
  • The Legian Bali, Indonesia
  • The Club at The Legian Bali, Indonesia
  • The Nam Hai Hoi An, Vietnam
  • The Strand Yangon, Myanmar
  • The Ananti Kumgang Mountains, North Korea
  • The Ananti Club Seoul, South Korea
  • The Chedi Club Tanah Gajah, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
  • The Chedi Muscat, Oman
  • The Chedi Chiang Mai, Thailand
GHM properties currently under development:
  • The Chedi Club Suzhou, China
  • The Chedi Tamouda Bay, Morocco
  • The Chedi Andermatt, Switzerland
  • The Chedi Taiping Lake, China
  • The Chedi Qutub, New Delhi, India
  • The Chedi Club & Residences Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • The Chedi Khorfakkan, Sharjah, UAE

About Chedi Hospitality

With a legacy of excellence spanning decades, Chedi Hospitality’s origins are anchored in the joy of discovery. From its earliest properties, the group has set new benchmarks by inviting discerning travellers to experience unparalleled hospitality in extraordinary, often undiscovered destinations. The sense of discovery combined with impeccably curated experiences and uncompromising comfort, remains integral to every Chedi property and further expressed in its enduring essence ‘A Voyage Unbound’, Chedi Hospitality’s invitation to embark on a personalised journey with limitless potential. Today, Chedi Hospitality’s distinguished portfolio features landmark properties such as Chedi Muscat in Oman, Chedi Andermatt in Switzerland, Chedi Al Bait, Sharjah in United Arab Emirates, Chedi Hotel & Residences Luštica Bay in Montenegro, Chedi Katara Hotel & Resort in Doha, Qatar, Chedi El Gouna on the Red Sea in Egypt, the recently opened Chedi Hegra in AlUla, Saudi Arabia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the newly launched development The Chedi Private Residences in Dubai, United Arabi Emirates. Building on this legacy, soon-to-be-announced properties will deliver impeccable immersions in standout locations across Europe, the Middle East, the US and Asia – further cementing Chedi Hospitality’s reputation as a leader in luxury hospitality.

Jim Sullivan
Mandarin Media
207.318.2236
Chedi Hospitality