Artyzen Hospitality GroupArtyzen Hospitality Group21 August 2026
As travel behaviors and consumer expectations continue to evolve, Shun Tak has taken the lead in proposing and implementing its “Tourism+” strategy, deeply integrating travel with culture, art, wellness, retail, and other diversified sectors to reshape the value chain of destination experiences. As a wholly owned subsidiary of Shun Tak Holdings Limited, Artyzen Hospitality Group is an important carrier of this strategy and is exploring its own development path through its unique cultural DNA and innovative vision. Artyzen Hospitality Group has consistently regarded Shanghai as one of its core strategic markets. Grounded in “Emotional Wisdom,” the group integrates deeply into local communities, weaving together art, sports, and lifestyle while bringing its philosophy of “Connect, Care, Celebrate” into every community it serves. What new strategic developments does Artyzen Hospitality Group have in Shanghai this year? How will the group leverage its roots in Chinese culture, combined with an Asian perspective and international aesthetics, to create a more meaningful sense of belonging for guests? Let us hear the insights and sharing from Mr. Rogier Verhoeven, Executive Director at Shun Tak Holdings Limited and President of the Group Hospitality Division.
In 2025, with Shun Tak’s “Tourism+” strategy, Artyzen Hospitality Group has achieved a series of tangible results. Rogier shared: “From an operational perspective, we have further clarified the positioning of our Shanghai hotel brands, including Artyzen, Artyzen Habitat, The Shàng by Artyzen, and YaTi by Artyzen, ensuring guests enjoy more precise and tailored experiences in different scenarios while enabling synergies among the hotels. Internationally, as China’s tourism market continues to recover with favorable visa-free policies, we have strengthened cooperation with OTAs and tourism industry partners, achieving clear results such as a significant increase in guests from South Korea. In sports tourism, we are honored to serve for the second consecutive year as the official hotel partner of the Buick LPGA Shanghai. We welcomed players and fans from around the world. We also participated in hosting the milestone 40th Xinmin Evening News Cup Football Tournament and supported multiple football and rugby events, attracting hundreds of young athletes to Shanghai. Recently, benefiting from the popularity of Formula 1, our two Artyzen Habitat hotels in Hongqiao and Taopu also hosted many race participants and spectators. In the past, we also accommodated more than one hundred athletes participating in the National Competitive Diving Selection Competition led by Head Coach Zhou Jihong, including many world champions and Olympic champions. These events have strengthened the market’s trust in us, and our team continues to transform that trust into service value.”
Artyzen Hospitality Group has always embraced “Emotional Wisdom” as its philosophy of hospitality, a strategy that shifts from a lifestyle brand to a human ecosystem. This extends our focus beyond aesthetics and design to a more meaningful dimension: the relationships between people, and between people and places. Rather than applying standardized templates, each hotel is encouraged to deeply integrate into its city and community. The philosophy of “Connect, Care, Celebrate” lies at the heart of everything Artyzen does under the concept of “Emotional Wisdom.” The name “Artyzen” itself reflects the group’s vision, combining “Art” and “Zen” to create a relaxed, open, and natural social environment for urban residents and communities. But how can such an intangible concept be communicated from the inside out so that guests genuinely feel it, rather than merely hearing a slogan? Rogier offered his perspective.
“First, space creates the most intuitive experience. When Neri&Hu designed Artyzen NEW BUND 31 Shanghai, they proposed creating an ‘intersection between individual and collective domains.’ Architecture should not feel cold or detached. The spatial layout should balance movement and stillness, offering guests places to pause, meet, and naturally transition from quiet corners to shared spaces. In this way, space becomes a medium for building connections. Second, realizing the “Connect, Care, Celebrate” philosophy requires intentional emotional actions. ‘Care’ begins with hotel leadership leading by example and team members sincerely paying attention to guests’ genuine needs. We encourage our teams to respond naturally and confidently, using warmth and personal attention to create the right guest experience. ‘Connect’ is achieved through meaningful content and experiences that link guests with the hotel. For example, through our ‘Artyzen Studio’ series, we invited Wang Jianzhong, a representative inheritor of intangible cultural heritage for Shanghai-style paper-cutting, to host a workshop at the hotel. Guests did not simply stand by and watch. They sat beside him, picked up scissors, and immersed themselves in a traditional craft passed down across generations. Such sincere interactions, woven around meaningful shared experiences, embody the very essence of emotional connection. ‘Celebrate’ reflects the connection between guests and society through the hotel platform. This may involve partnering with the Shanghai Make-A-Wish Charity Foundation to help fulfill a child’s dream, or celebrating a city’s unique cultural vitality by showcasing local ingredients in restaurants and displaying works by local artists in hotel lobbies. It is also reflected in how our team members are recognized and valued, and how that warmth is passed on to guests. Only through the combination of these three approaches can ‘Emotional Wisdom’ be sincerely expressed,” Rogier shared.
This philosophy is reflected across all hotels under Artyzen Hospitality Group. For example, at Artyzen Habitat hotels, the public area named “Townsquare” includes the “Amphitheatre,” thoughtfully conceived and designed to serve as venue for wellness, communication, and social interaction. At Artyzen NEW BUND 31 Shanghai, the hotel’s direct connection to the BOCOM New Bund 31 Performing Arts Center brings numerous conveniences. This has changed guest behavior from simply attending performances and leaving, to staying and immersing themselves in the experience, while also positioning the hotel as a co-creator of an emerging urban destination. Within YaTi by Artyzen, the group’s select-service brand, this philosophy takes another form. Vibrant, open lobby spaces showcase compelling artworks that effortlessly invite guests to linger and connect. “Whether through internationally inspired content or intentionally designed social spaces, our goal is always to create a sense of belonging. In Shanghai, our hotels are consciously embedded into the broader cultural, entertainment, and commercial ecosystem. This reflects Artyzen’s truly distinctive brand essence: it is not only about where you stay, but how you connect with the city and with others,” Rogier added. In addition, the “Artyzen Studio” series further strengthens these cultural connections. In collaboration with Grace Vineyard, China’s first boutique winery, the group partnered with its Ceilidh Distillery to launch a “Angie Gin” tasting experience, reinterpreting Oriental botanicals through contemporary craftsmanship and transforming local culture and artisanal heritage into a lifestyle experience that can be both appreciated and shared.
This connection extends beyond artistic settings and is intentionally positioned within dynamic educational and innovation communities. Artyzen Habitat Qiantan Shanghai and The Shàng by Artyzen Qiantan Shanghai are both adjacent to NYU Shanghai, while Artyzen Habitat Hengqin Zhuhai is only minutes away from the University of Macau. Such locations naturally bring together social life, academic atmosphere, innovation landscapes, and hotel experiences, transforming hotels from simple accommodation spaces into truly vibrant urban connection hubs. As a result, the average length of stay has increased by 15%.
“Rooted in China, based in Asia, and connected to the world” summarizes the development philosophy of Artyzen Hospitality Group. By embracing the unique positioning of each city, Artyzen creates distinctive memory markers for every destination. “Artyzen Singapore is located on the former site of the Peranakan ‘Villa Marie.’ Rather than erasing this history, we made it part of the hotel’s spirit. Through layered greenery and refined, understated design, we created an urban oasis that combines nostalgia with tranquility. This authentic and unpretentious expression earned the hotel a One MICHELIN Key distinction, making it one of only seven hotels in Singapore to receive the honor. Meanwhile, Café Quenino pays tribute to the city’s multicultural roots through its ‘New Straits Cuisine,’ reinterpreting local flavors with refined sophistication. As our team says, ‘Artyzen Singapore is not just a hotel, but a cultural space.’ Likewise, in Macau, this philosophy is reflected in respect for cultural heritage and responsibility for the future. As Macau’s first LEED Gold certified hotel, Artyzen Grand Lapa Macau represents our strong commitment to sustainable building practices. Through curated art and authentic dining experiences, the hotel pays tribute to Portuguese heritage and local culture while caring for the world that future generations will inherit. Across all these hotels, our goal is to maintain a genuine, vibrant, and lasting relationship between each property and its environment. This is what we mean by a human ecosystem,” shared Rogier.
It is clear that Artyzen Hospitality Group is committed not only to providing high-quality accommodation experiences, but also to integrating art, culture, and other city-related elements into its brand DNA. Through spatial design, community engagement, and cultural experiences, the group creates an urban lifestyle with depth and aesthetic awareness. We are highly confident in Artyzen’s future development in Shanghai and across China. As Rogier noted: “We do not want to expand simply for the sake of expansion. For us, growth means whether we can truly create additional value for every destination. Artyzen Xi’an, scheduled to open in 2028, is a good example. Located at the starting point of the ancient Silk Road, the hotel will honor the city’s profound historical heritage while responding to its spirit of innovation. Whether through design language or a focus on wellness lifestyles, everything will be grounded in a deep understanding of each destination’s cultural heritage and distinct local character. At the same time, every hotel must continue evolving to avoid homogenization. Whether it genuinely adds value to a city’s cultural landscape is something we constantly explore. In Shanghai, Artyzen Hospitality Group also strives to further strengthen its role as a bridge, connecting Shanghai with other Chinese cities, and China with the world. With Shanghai as our strategic hub, we are developing it into a key starting point for multi-destination journeys linking the Greater Bay Area, Beijing, Xi’an, Hangzhou, Guilin and other destinations currently under evaluation. Shanghai has always been our home and our starting point, and this goes hand in hand with Shun Tak’s overall investment strategy.”
Meanwhile, “Sports+” tourism still holds tremendous potential for further development, closely aligned with Shun Tak’s broader “Tourism+” vision. Through partnerships with events such as the Buick LPGA Shanghai and services for athletes participating in football, rugby, and diving competitions, including the National Diving Selection Competition in 2024, where we welcomed over 100 athletes let by head coach Zhou Jihong, Artyzen has developed a deeper understanding of the needs of elite sports communities. “Our goal is to make Artyzen a trusted home whenever Shanghai hosts world-class sporting events, allowing athletes to feel well cared for, perform at their best, and further enhance the city’s attractiveness as a top-tier sports destination,” Rogier said. In recent years, Shun Tak secured the development and operating rights for the adventure-themed area at Ocean Park Hong Kong, scheduled to completion in 2028. In collaboration with AJ Hackett International group, following their partnership on the world’s highest commercial bungee jump at Skypark Macau Tower in 2006, the group will once again work together to create a world-class outdoor adventure destination featuring ziplines, bungee jumping, and other attractions integrated into Ocean Park’s spectacular coastal landscape. This project fully demonstrates the power of “Tourism+”: connecting hospitality and leisure experiences to create new reasons for travelers to visit and return.
Rogier continued: “Internally, I hope Artyzen will be a place where employees want to join and stay to grow together. We value and support every employee, enabling them to work authentically, because it is their dedication that shapes Artyzen’s future. Therefore, we continue collaborating with leading hospitality management schools to provide internship and mentorship opportunities. For example, the ‘Macao Youth Professional Development Program’ at Artyzen Habitat Hengqin Zhuhai not only responds to the Macau SAR Government’s initiative to support youth career planning and integration into the Greater Bay Area but also reflects our practical commitment to youth development and cross-regional collaboration.”
Just as the name “Artyzen” suggests, art inspires resonance while Zen brings peace of mind. In today’s fast-paced urban life, Artyzen Hospitality Group’s dedication to safeguarding the relationships between people, and between people and places may well be the most precious form of hospitality it offers to this era.