Rosewood Hotels & Resorts said it would open its first property in China, the 279-room Rosewood Beijing, in summer 2013, the first hotel of what it called “ambitious Asia expansion plans.” The hotel will be located in the central business Chaoyang District opposite the CCTV Tower.

Designed by Melbourne-based Bar Studio, the hotel will represent a number of firsts for both Rosewood Hotels & Resorts and Beijing. “Guests will see ‘A Sense of Place’ -- our guiding philosophy to reflect and celebrate each location’s culture, history and geography –- exquisitely expressed in Rosewood Beijing,” says Radha Arora, president of Rosewood.  “Contemporary and warm, homelike and refined, energetic and serene - all these aspects will be incorporated into the hotel’s design and ethos.”

Rosewood claims its Beijing property will offer more landscaped outdoor space than any other Beijing luxury hotel, with terraces, gardens and balconies integrated into the design of many of the restaurants, spa, recreational facilities, meeting and function areas. Bangkok-based P Landscape has been hired to complete landscaping for the hotel.     

Guestrooms will be designed to evoke sensations of luxury apartment living and will be among the largest in the city at 538 square feet. Rooms will allow maximum window aspect, enhanced by window seats. Natural finishes and textural overlays, spacious bathrooms and walk-in closets, and non-traditional, residential components and accessories with subtle Oriental overtones, will complete the homelike surroundings.     

Seven restaurants and lounges will serve authentic international cuisines amidst innovative design style. A Chinese restaurant will feature a casual and contemporary lower floor restaurant as well as nine private dining suites on the floor above.  The dining suites -- up to 1,200 square feet in size -- will be designed for exclusivity and luxury, including dining area, separate lounge, cloak room, and outdoor terrace. 

The Rosewood Sense spa brand, featuring treatments reflecting the location’s cultural and natural environment, will make its first appearance in Asia and be accompanied by another Rosewood first: five spa suites designed for overnight stays. Recreational facilities will include an indoor swimming pool, gym and yoga studio.

An exclusive access lounge will feature an open kitchen, free-standing bar, Internet corner, boardroom and outdoor terrace. Meeting and function space will total almost 33,000 square feet. This will include a pillar-less ballroom of 8,252 square feet featuring an adjacent outdoor garden for weddings and other special occasions.   

The Pavilion, a residential-style meeting and function space, will be a first for the group and will be a signature feature of all future Asia Rosewood properties.  Occupying the Rosewood Beijing annex, The Pavilion will include two combinable areas for memorable events, with dining spaces, bar, lounges and show kitchens, all finished and accessorized as in an elegant private home.

Marc Brugger has been named managing director of Rosewood Beijing. Most recently, Brugger was general manager of Crown Towers Hotel & Casino Macau. He also served as vice president-VIP gaming services for City of Dreams Casino Macau and vice president hotel and F&B for Altira Hotel & Casino Macau.

Previously, he was director of food and beverage for Four Seasons Hotel Dublin, the largest food and beverage operations of Four Seasons in Europe. His former nine years with Hyatt International included food and beverage management positions at Park Hyatt Goa and Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, with additional postings in Mexico and Malaysia. 

A Swiss native, Brugger recently received his executive MBA from Ivey School of Business and also is a graduate in international hospitality management from Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland.

Rosewood said its Beijing is part of a major Asia growth strategy that aims to add 10 properties in the region to the company’s portfolio within five years.