Hong Kong, April 15th, 2004 - The Langham Place Hotel, due to open in Mongkok this summer is being hailed as the most technologically advanced Hotel in Asia Pacific.

Ultimate guest service is the philosophy behind the technology offering and is built around guests staying connected by voice and data at all times. So as to provide the environment to meet these demanding needs, Langham Place Hotel will lead the industry by offering an entire voice and data Wi-Fi bubble throughout the hotel. Guests will be able to access wireless voice services anywhere in the hotel by using their in-room wireless Internet Protocol (IP) phone and also wireless broadband whether in their room or any public area.

Langham Place Hotel is deploying an integrated solution designed and implemented by PCCW which comprises of a converged network based on Cisco's AVVID (Architecture for Voice, Video and Integrated Data) solution, a LazerSpeed structured cabling system by Avaya whereby voice, video and data communications are carried across a single IP-based system. With over 5Km of fiber optic cables, 4,000 network connections, 1,500 IP phones, 500 wireless access points and carrier-grade networking equipment, communications happen at light speed. All of these being supported by an ultra sophisticated backbone which has the capability of simultaneously handling almost 700Gb of data.
 

"We want to provide at least the same degree of connectivity or where possible exceed the level of convenience and speed that today's; business travelers have in their office. We have coined the phrase "Omnipresent Wi-Fi" as no matter where the guests are in the hotel, they can obtain wireless voice and broadband access." commented Mr Brett Butcher, Managing Director of Langham Place Hotel. For example, guests will be able to take their in-room mobile phone to any part of the hotel and make/receive calls. There will no longer be missed calls when they are at the health club or in the restaurants,

Brett Butcher Managing Director

"When a business traveler comes to Hong Kong, riding on our next generation network will without doubt help them accomplish their mission - because of this and the myriad of business related facilities we have at Langham Place, we will be known as The Place to do business in Hong Kong", Mr Butcher added.
 

In addition to the Wi-Fi bubble, the Langham Place Hotel is the first hotel in the world to deploy Cisco's 7970 colour Internet Protocol (IP) Phone into every guest room.  These state-of-the-art phones are capable of performing an array of multimedia and interactive functions in a language of their choice. From the high resolution touch screen display guests can very quickly access weather, news, stock quotes, send short messages and loads more without having to sign on the internet. The IP phone being a web enabled device, will also offer guests web based radio.

Internet Protocol Cisco® Phone with Colour Touch Screen

"We're just out of the starting gate and scratching the surface as to what this unparalleled technology deployment can offer" added Terence Ronson, Managing Director of Hong Kong based Pertlink Limited, the hotel's technology consultant. "This level of infrastructure most definitely positions the Langham Place Hotel ahead of the curve, and they can go as far as their imagination takes them in the type of services they can provide to the guests."

Other technology highlights include: every room featuring a wall mounted plasma television and personal safes sufficiently sized to accommodate a notebook PC or a video camera, with the additional feature of allowing charging while it is safely stored.

The 665-room hotel, which has more than 50 luxurious suites, is the flagship of a mega 1.8 million sq. ft development that embraces the hotel. Other components of the project, which encompasses four city blocks in total, include a mall with over 300 shops and restaurants, and a 59-storey A-grade office tower. 

Langham Hotels International is a dynamic, modern hospitality ownership and management company which operates a number of luxury hotels and serviced apartment properties in prime locations within Hong Kong and overseas.

Its parent company is the publicly listed Great Eagle Holdings Limited, which was founded in 1963 and was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 1972.

The Great Eagle Group is one of Hong Kong's leading property and hotel companies.  Headquartered in Hong Kong, the Group develops, invests in and manages high quality office, retail, residential and hotel properties in Hong Kong, North America and Europe. Its core commercial properties comprise 1.6 million square feet of Grade-A office space in the prime commercial districts of Hong Kong.  It is also developing a 1.8 million square feet office, retail and hotel complex in the prime shopping district of Mongkok, Kowloon. The Group's extensive international hotel portfolio currently comprises seven gateway city luxury properties with over 4,000 rooms. 

Properties managed and operated by Langham Hotels International in Hong Kong include the luxury Langham Hotel, Hong Kong, the Langham Place Hotel (a five-star property in Mongkok opening Summer 2004), the superior Eaton Hotel, three Eaton House serviced apartment buildings and the Yat Tung Heen Chinese Restaurants.

Other overseas properties owned by the Group - in addition to the hotels in Melbourne and Auckland which will be rebranded under the Langham flag in January 2005 - include the Langham Hotel, London in England; the Langham Hotel, Boston in the US; and the Four Diamond rated Delta Chelsea Hotel, Toronto, Canada.

Langham Place Hotel Hong Kong
Ms. Sherona Shng
Director of Communications
Tel: (852) 2710 1880
Email: [email protected]
www.langhamhotels.com/langhamplace/hongkong