Continuing the growth of its Shama pipeline with four deals announced since the start of the year, ONYX Hospitality Group announced the inking of a management agreement for Shama Hub Haikou Hainan, introducing the Shama brand to a location affectionately known as the 'coconut city of China'.

From left to right: Mr. Lin Yuan, Director and President, Guang Yue Jin Tai Group; Mr. Zhang Yang, Chairman, Guang Yue Jin Tai Group; Mr. Douglas Martell, President and CEO, ONYX Hospitality Group; and Ms. Thaveerut Charupatanapong, Executive Vice President – Chief Financial Officer, ONYX Hospitality Group.

Strategically located within the newly developed West Coast of Haikou, the capital of Hainan, China’s southernmost province, Shama Hub Haikou will be neighboured by the municipal government building, with easy access to the Haikou Free Trade Zone and Hainan International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The property will be 10-minute drive from Haikou Railway Station, and less than an hour from Haikou Meilan International Airport, the first five-star regional airport in China. Together with the nearby golf clubs and the beach parks, Shama Hub Haikou will be the perfect home away from home for both corporate professionals and leisure travellers.

Targeted to open in the third quarter of 2020, Shama Hub Haikou will occupy an annex within one of the tallest complexes in the area, offering more than 100 tastefully designed serviced apartments, with options of studios and one-bedroom apartments in various configurations. Facilities include a lounge area, gym and yoga centre, self-service laundry and meeting space.

Shama Hub Haikou Hainan to occupy an annex of a commercial complex developed by Guang Yue Jin Tai Group (artist’s impression).

“Being the largest special economic zone and the only provincial-level international tourism island in China, Hainan is a paradise destination full of opportunities. We are proud to partner with Guang Yue Jin Tai Group, one of the fastest growing companies in China, to bring the Shama brand proposition to life on the beautiful island of Hainan,” said Douglas Martell, President and CEO, ONYX Hospitality Group.

Shama is a leading provider of premium serviced apartments by ONYX Hospitality Group, with 21 serviced apartments across Asia Pacific, including 12 in the development pipeline in locations such as Australia, China and Malaysia. Shama received the 2017 Hong Kong Business High Flyers Award under the “Serviced Apartment” category and was awarded the title “Best Serviced Apartment Operator of Asia” for the fifth consecutive year at the AHF Asia Hotel Awards 2017.

Earlier this year, ONYX announced the signing of four Shama properties – Shama Changfeng Shanghai, Shama Hongqiao Shanghai and Shama Lakeview Asoke Bangkok, all slated for opening in 2018, as well as Shama Zijingang Hangzhou, which is scheduled to open in 2019.

Established in 2011, Guang Yue Jin Tai Group is a diversified corporation with businesses in real estate development, equity investment, the education industry, the cultural industry and hotel management. With headquarters in Guangzhou and a development philosophy of “construct for the betterment of cities, build homes for better living”, the group operates more than 20 sub-companies, with a presence spread across provincial cities such as Guangdong, Hainan, Zhejiang, Chongqing and Chengdu.