Marco Polo Hotels

Marco Polo Hotels is a Hong Kong-based hotel management company associated with Wharf (Holdings) Limited, a diversified Hong Kong group whose property interests include the Harbour City complex in Tsim Sha Tsui. The company operates under the Marco Polo name across Hong Kong, mainland China and the Philippines, with a portfolio that has historically included full-service and upscale city hotels. Its role is principally that of a hotel owner, operator and management platform within the Wharf group rather than an independent, publicly listed hospitality corporation. The brand's roots lie in Wharf's early hotel investments. Wharf's first hotel venture was the Hong Kong Hotel, which opened in 1970 as a joint venture with Hongkong Land, Hui Sai-fun and Chung Ming-fai. The property was developed beside Wharf's Kowloon Wharf & Godown Co. Ltd site on the western side of the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront. As Wharf redeveloped the area into the Harbour City complex, it opened its first wholly owned hotel there in 1982. That 440-room property was initially named the Marco Polo Hotel, later became Omni Marco Polo, and was eventually renamed the Gateway Hotel. A second Harbour City hotel, the 393-room Prince Hotel, joined the complex in 1984. The hotels were at one stage managed by The Peninsula Hotels in Hong Kong, a subsidiary of Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels. Wharf subsequently created its own hotel management company in 1986 under the name Marco Polo International, with the stated objective of developing additional hotels in the region. The company then passed through a period of brand restructuring connected to Wharf's ownership of Omni Hotels & Resorts in North America. After Wharf acquired Omni in 1989, the Marco Polo division was presented as Omni Hotels Asia-Pacific, and the Hong Kong properties adopted Omni-branded names. When Wharf sold the North American Omni business in 1996, the Hong Kong hotel division returned to the Marco Polo Hotels Group identity. The portfolio later expanded beyond the original Harbour City cluster. Marco Polo properties were established in mainland Chinese cities including Beijing, Wuhan, Shenzhen, Xiamen, Jinjiang and Foshan, as well as in Cebu, Davao and Ortigas in the Philippines. The Hong Kong portfolio includes Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel, Gateway Hotel and Prince Hotel. This geographic footprint gives the group a strong connection to commercial, retail and mixed-use developments, particularly in major urban centers. Wharf broadened its hospitality platform in 2015 by adding Niccolo Hotels as a luxury collection. The first Niccolo property opened in Chengdu in April 2015 at International Finance Square, followed by hotels in Chongqing, Changsha, Hong Kong and Suzhou. Although Niccolo is a distinct hotel brand, its addition demonstrates the broader hospitality strategy associated with Wharf's hotel-management operations: Marco Polo serves as an established upscale urban brand, while Niccolo addresses a more explicitly luxury-oriented segment. In Hong Kong, Wharf also won a 2013 tender to lease and convert the former Murray Building in Central into a hotel. The 336-room property opened in 2017 as The Murray, Hong Kong, a Niccolo Hotel. This project extended the group's hospitality presence into a landmark adaptive-reuse development and connected its hotel activities with Wharf's wider property and commercial-development capabilities.

Marco Polo Hotels developed from Wharf's involvement in Hong Kong's hotel and waterfront-property businesses. Wharf's first hotel venture was the Hong Kong Hotel, opened in 1970 as a joint project with Hongkong Land, Hui Sai-fun and Chung Ming-fai. The hotel stood beside Wharf's Kowloon Wharf & Godown Co. Ltd property along the western shore of the Tsim Sha Tsui promontory. Wharf later redeveloped its site into Harbour City. In 1982, the completed complex received its first wholly owned hotel, a 440-room property named the Marco Polo Hotel. The hotel was subsequently known as Omni Marco Polo and later became the Gateway Hotel. In 1984, Wharf added the 393-room Prince Hotel to the same complex. The three hotels were managed at one point by The Peninsula Hotels in Hong Kong, which was then associated with Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels. In 1986, Wharf formed its own hotel-management company, Marco Polo International. The new organization was intended to develop and manage additional hotels around the region, giving Wharf a dedicated hospitality platform rather than relying solely on an external operator. The group's structure changed again after Wharf acquired Omni Hotels & Resorts in North America in 1989. The Marco Polo hotel division was then aligned with Omni as Omni Hotels Asia-Pacific, and the Hong Kong properties adopted Omni-related names, including Omni Hong Kong Hotel, Omni Marco Polo Hotel and Omni Prince Hotel. Wharf sold Omni Hotels North America in 1996. Following the sale, the Hong Kong hotel division reverted to the Marco Polo Hotels Group identity. The former Marco Polo Hotel ultimately became the Gateway Hotel, while the original Hong Kong Hotel was later renamed Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel. The company expanded its geographic presence through hotels in mainland China, including properties in Beijing, Wuhan, Shenzhen, Xiamen, Jinjiang and Foshan, and through hotels in the Philippines, including Marco Polo Plaza Cebu, Marco Polo Davao and Marco Polo Ortigas Manila. The hospitality platform broadened in 2015 with the introduction of Niccolo Hotels as a separate luxury collection. Its first hotel opened in Chengdu in April 2015 at the city's International Finance Square. Additional Niccolo properties followed in Chongqing, Changsha, Hong Kong and Suzhou. Niccolo complemented the established Marco Polo hotel network with a more luxury-focused proposition. Wharf's expansion also involved adaptive reuse in Hong Kong. In 2013, a Wharf subsidiary won a tender to lease and convert the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's Murray Building in Central into a hotel. The 336-room property opened in 2017 as The Murray, Hong Kong, a Niccolo Hotel. Across these stages, Marco Polo Hotels remained closely tied to Wharf's property-development activities and focused on urban hotels in Hong Kong, mainland China and the Philippines.

• 2017

  The Murray, Hong Kong opens

  [1]Marco Polo Hotelsen.wikipedia.org

  The converted Murray Building opens as the 336-room The Murray, Hong Kong, a Niccolo Hotel.

• 2015

  Niccolo Hotels launches

  [1]Marco Polo Hotelsen.wikipedia.org

  Niccolo Hotels is added to the wider group portfolio, with its first property opening in Chengdu in April.

• 2013

  Wharf wins tender for Murray Building conversion

  [1]Marco Polo Hotelsen.wikipedia.org

  A Wharf subsidiary wins the right to lease and convert the Murray Building in Central, Hong Kong, into a hotel.

• 1996

  Marco Polo Hotels Group identity returns

  [1]Marco Polo Hotelsen.wikipedia.org

  After Wharf sells Omni Hotels North America, the Hong Kong hotel division is rebranded again as the Marco Polo Hotels Group.

• 1989

  Omni Hotels Asia-Pacific period begins

  [1]Marco Polo Hotelsen.wikipedia.org

  Following Wharf's acquisition of Omni Hotels & Resorts, the Marco Polo division is rebranded as Omni Hotels Asia-Pacific.

• 1986

  Marco Polo International is established

  [1]Marco Polo Hotelsen.wikipedia.org

  Wharf forms its own hotel-management company to pursue regional hotel development.

• 1984

  Prince Hotel joins the Harbour City portfolio

  [1]Marco Polo Hotelsen.wikipedia.org

  The 393-room Prince Hotel opens in the Harbour City complex.

• 1982

  First wholly owned Harbour City hotel opens

  [1]Marco Polo Hotelsen.wikipedia.org

  Wharf opens a 440-room hotel in the redeveloped Harbour City complex under the Marco Polo Hotel name.

• 1970

  Wharf enters the hotel business through the Hong Kong Hotel

  [1]Marco Polo Hotelsen.wikipedia.org

  Wharf's first hotel venture, the Hong Kong Hotel, opens as a joint venture with Hongkong Land, Hui Sai-fun and Chung Ming-fai.

An urban, upscale hotel-management platform rooted in Hong Kong and focused on major commercial and gateway cities in Greater China and the Philippines. The wider Wharf hospitality portfolio also includes the more luxury-oriented Niccolo Hotels collection.

• Hotel

  Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel

  A Marco Polo-branded hotel in Hong Kong and the later identity associated with Wharf's original Hong Kong Hotel venture. It forms part of the group's established Hong Kong portfolio alongside Gateway Hotel and Prince Hotel, serving the brand's urban, full-service positioning.

• Hotel · 1982

  Gateway Hotel

  The Harbour City hotel that began as the 440-room Marco Polo Hotel in 1982. It later passed through the Omni Marco Polo name before adopting its current Gateway identity, reflecting the group's history of hotel-brand changes within Wharf's flagship Hong Kong complex.

• Hotel · 1984

  Prince Hotel

  A 393-room hotel added to Harbour City in 1984. The property is part of the Hong Kong cluster that anchors Marco Polo Hotels' presence in a major retail, commercial and tourism district.

• Hotel portfolio

  Marco Polo mainland China portfolio

  The mainland China portfolio includes Marco Polo hotels in Beijing, Wuhan, Shenzhen, Xiamen, Jinjiang and Foshan's Lingnan Tiandi district. Together, these properties extend the brand beyond Hong Kong into major metropolitan and commercial destinations.

• Hotel portfolio

  Marco Polo Philippines portfolio

  The Philippines portfolio includes Marco Polo Plaza Cebu, Marco Polo Davao and Marco Polo Ortigas Manila. These hotels represent the brand's regional expansion into important Philippine business and tourism markets.

• Luxury hotel collection · 2015

  Niccolo Hotels

  A luxury collection added to Wharf's hospitality portfolio in 2015. The first Niccolo opened in Chengdu at International Finance Square, followed by properties in Chongqing, Changsha, Hong Kong and Suzhou. Niccolo is a related but distinct brand from Marco Polo Hotels.

• 2017

  Open The Murray through adaptive reuseProduct launch

  Background

  A Wharf subsidiary had won a tender to lease and convert the Hong Kong government's Murray Building in Central.

  Action taken

  The 336-room building opened as The Murray, Hong Kong, a Niccolo Hotel.

  Aftermath

  The project extended the group's luxury hospitality presence into a landmark Central Hong Kong redevelopment.

  Source

• 2015

  Add Niccolo as a luxury collectionProduct launch

  Background

  Wharf sought to broaden its hospitality portfolio beyond the established Marco Polo brand.

  Action taken

  Niccolo Hotels was introduced as a separate luxury collection, beginning with a Chengdu property.

  Aftermath

  The collection expanded to Chongqing, Changsha, Hong Kong and Suzhou, complementing the Marco Polo network.

  Source

• 1996

  Restore the Marco Polo Hotels Group brandingStrategy

  Background

  Wharf sold Omni Hotels North America, changing the strategic rationale for maintaining the Omni identity in Hong Kong.

  Action taken

  The Hong Kong hotel division was rebranded again as the Marco Polo Hotels Group.

  Aftermath

  The group continued regional expansion under the Marco Polo name while individual properties also received updated names, including Gateway Hotel.

  Source

• 1989

  Align the Asia-Pacific division with Omni HotelsM&A

  Background

  Wharf acquired Omni Hotels & Resorts in North America and sought marketing synergies between its hotel operations.

  Action taken

  The Marco Polo hotel division was rebranded as Omni Hotels Asia-Pacific, and its Hong Kong properties adopted Omni-related names.

  Aftermath

  The properties operated under Omni-associated identities until Wharf's sale of the North American Omni business led to a subsequent return to the Marco Polo identity.

  Source

• 1986

  Create a dedicated regional hotel-management platformStrategy

  Background

  Wharf had developed and accumulated several Hong Kong hotels, some of which had previously been managed by an external hotel company.

  Action taken

  Wharf established Marco Polo International to manage its hotels and pursue further development in the region.

  Aftermath

  The move created the organizational foundation for the later Marco Polo Hotels Group and its regional portfolio.

  Source

• 2017

  The Murray, Hong Kong opens as a Niccolo Hotel[1]Marco Polo Hotelsen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  A former government building in Central, Hong Kong, was converted into the 336-room The Murray, Hong Kong, extending Wharf's hospitality portfolio through the Niccolo brand.

• 2015

  Niccolo Hotels is added as a luxury collection[1]Marco Polo Hotelsen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Wharf added Niccolo Hotels to its hospitality portfolio, opening the first property in Chengdu and subsequently expanding the collection to several Chinese cities and Hong Kong.

• 1996

  Hong Kong hotel division returns to Marco Polo identity[1]Marco Polo Hotelsen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  After Wharf sold Omni Hotels North America, the Hong Kong hotel division was again presented under the Marco Polo Hotels Group identity.

• 1989

  Marco Polo hotel division is rebranded as Omni Hotels Asia-Pacific[1]Marco Polo Hotelsen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Following Wharf's acquisition of Omni Hotels & Resorts in North America, the Marco Polo hotel division was aligned with the Omni brand for international marketing purposes.

• 1986

  Wharf establishes Marco Polo International hotel-management company[1]Marco Polo Hotelsen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Wharf created its own hotel-management company under the Marco Polo International name to support further hotel development in the region.

1. 1Marco Polo Hotelsen.wikipedia.org