HERE TO STAY

The pandemic has been devastating for hotels around the world, but Winnie Chiu steered her Dorsett brand through the storm— and has big plans for its future

- Andrea Lo

Hotelier Winnie Chiu has always encouraged her staff to be innovative and adaptable—and she had to follow her own advice when the Covid-19 pandemic erupted, plunging the hospitality industry into crisis.

Chiu joined Dorsett Hospitality International, her family business, as president and executive director in 2010. The group was one of the first to join the government’s hotel quarantine scheme in the early days of the pandemic and has since become something of a pioneer in the space, launching multiple programmes to keep guests comfortable—and sane—during their stay. At the time of writing, the group operates six hotels in Hong Kong that are designated quarantine facilities for arrivals.

Outside Hong Kong, the brand continues to thrive, with new properties set to open in the UK and Australia. Here, Chiu shares her proudest achievements from the past year and reveals what she has coming up next.

On the projects she feels most proud of in 2021:

I am very happy and touched by what Dorsett has done to take care of our greater community. Throughout the pandemic, we have [provided accommodation for] over 12,000 frontline medical staff across mainland China, Hong Kong, London, Singapore and Malaysia, as well as over half a million quarantine guests globally.