IHG Hotels & Resorts has agreed to partner with Shenzhen Bay Area Urban Construction and Development Co Ltd to develop a new luxury and lifestyle hotel in the southeastern Chinese city.

Regent Shenzhen Bay will be part of the Shenzhen Bay Super Headquarters development and will be the tallest Regent Hotels & Resorts property in the world upon project completion.

Future city tower

The luxury hotel will dominate the metropolitan skyline and provide 175 rooms in three distinctive room types. The presence of the Regent brand should expand consumers’ options for vacation and residency and bolster IHG’s brand portfolio in the region.

Designed and constructed by architecture firm, Zaha Hadid Architects, the hotel is expected to open in 2028, enhancing Shenzhen Bay’s position as a future city that combines a global headquarters cluster, a metropolitan cultural highland, an international communication centre, and a world coastal living room.

Vertical urbanism

Based on the concept of ‘vertical urbanism’, the architecture will encapsulate future urban space. The design connects with the adjacent park and plazas, transforming into a new unified public space for the city.

Through a terraced podium design, a north-south green axis blends with the public space of the tower, providing a direct sense of continuity. The design of the tower allows the area to extend upwards so that the green axis landscape is interwoven with the whole building. The project reflects Zaha Hadid’s design philosophy of investigating future cities, “encouraging exploration rather than looking for a planned and determined destination”.

Five year plan

Shenzhen’s 14th five-year tourism development plan has laid out a blueprint to develop the city into a tourist destination of global influence. Specifically, it called for the introduction of major global hotel brands to stimulate comprehensive competition in the local tourism industry. IHG has played an active role in contributing to this blueprint.

Yin Kefei, deputy general manager of Shenzhen Investment Holding Company Limited, said: “In accordance with the ’14th five-year plan’ development strategy, Shenzhen Investment Holding Company Limited will speed up the construction of business standardisation, institutionalisation, streamlining, systematisation and intelligence, and make every effort to set Regent Shenzhen Bay as the highest benchmark of quality and service in the Shenzhen Bay Super Headquarters, Shenzhen City, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.”

Fast growing market

Jolyon Bulley, CEO, Greater China and group transformation lead, luxury and lifestyle at IHG revealed: “Greater China is the world’s fastest growing market for IHG. As the first international hotel company to enter the Chinese market, IHG has witnessed great changes and development in the tourism industry. With the increasing demand for domestic leisure travel and the rapid growth of high-net-worth consumer groups, the newly rebranded Regent will bring a new luxury experience, unique brand imprint, and refreshing visual image to leisure and business travellers.”

Daniel Aylmer, MD, IHG Greater China commented: “IHG sees bright prospects in Shenzhen. We believe our partnership with Shenzhen Investment Holdings Company will be a significant step to enhance our geographical advantages and pioneer in the Greater Bay area. The addition of the Regent properties will further broaden our local appeal and create a more personalised stay experience for a new generation of travellers.”

Key development area

Kent Sun, chief development officer, IHG Greater China added: “The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is a key area for the development of the tourism industry, with a deep historical and cultural heritage and rich tourism resources.

“Currently, IHG has 18 hotels open and over 10 hotels under construction in Shenzhen. In the future, IHG will stick to the national development agenda together with sincere cooperation with owners to refine the deployment of IHG’s brand matrix, build a diversified consumption scene, and empower the development of the leisure market in lower-tier cities.”

Accelerating footprint

With the continuous expansion of China’s domestic tourism industry and the growing demand from high-net-worth consumers, Regent has accelerated its footprint in China including Beijing, Chongqing, Hongkong, and other major cities.

Developments across the country currently underway for the brand include Regent Sanya Haitang Bay, bringing 317 keys to Sanya in 2026. The hotel will boast five different room types, including 10 private villas, and will be situated close to Sanya International Duty-Free Shopping Complex.

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