Over the past three decades of vigorous development in China’s hotel industry, international brands initially took the lead and were highly favored. However, amid the sweeping tide of industry growth, a number of outstanding domestic hotel brands have risen powerfully, forming an indispensable force that competes with international players, thus enriching and diversifying the vibrant landscape of China’s hospitality sector.
Country Garden Phoenix International Hotels, a homegrown national hotel brand, has, after more than ten years of exploration and development, built high-star hotels that are both down-to-earth and high-quality. From pioneering the attention-grabbing and controversial “real estate + hotel” model at its inception to now operating nearly 50 properties, Country Garden Phoenix International has increasingly shone as a unique gem among domestic high-star hotel groups.
Debut in the Millennium Year, the Phoenix Emerges to Capture Attention
The Country Garden Group, a private real estate enterprise with hundreds of billions in assets, carried a simple yet profound vision — “to provide you with a five-star home” — and was dedicated to building high-value homes for people around the world. At the dawn of the new millennium, this real estate powerhouse took a groundbreaking step in offering homeowners “five-star hotel-style services.” The “Country Garden Resort Hotel” (now renamed: Shunde Country Garden Resort) entered the public eye with the group’s firm confidence in venturing into the high-end hotel industry, causing a stir in both the real estate and hospitality sectors.
Photo: Shunde Country Garden Resort
At the time, China’s hotel market was on an upward trajectory, and the new “real estate + hotel” model caught everyone’s eye. To build the largest and most luxurious living community in southern China, the Country Garden Group invested over 500 million yuan in the early stages to construct a five-star standard “Country Garden Resort Hotel” by the Bi River and at the foot of Gui Mountain in Shunde. It officially opened on February 1, 2000, bringing five-star hospitality to the doorsteps of countless homeowners and transforming the concept of a “five-star home” overnight.
In November 2003, Country Garden’s first officially rated five-star hotel — Guangzhou Phoenix City Hotel — made a stunning debut. Covering a land area of 200,000 square meters with a construction area of 78,000 square meters and over 500 guest rooms, it became the largest and lowest-rise landscape-themed hotel in southern China. From then on, Country Garden Phoenix Hotels took off with unstoppable momentum.
Photo: Guangzhou Phoenix City Hotel
Taking Root in Second- and Third-Tier Cities, Growing Through Diligent Efforts
Unlike other well-known hotel brands, Country Garden Phoenix Hotels did not initially compete for space in bustling urban areas. Instead, with bold pioneering spirit, they chose to take root in second- and third-tier cities, firmly establishing themselves in serene, picturesque suburbs away from the hustle and bustle. Despite skepticism toward the “real estate + hotel” model, Country Garden Phoenix International moved forward with determination, carving out a path for a national hotel brand with distinct “Country Garden” characteristics.
“We hope to make society better because we exist.” With this sincere corporate vision, Country Garden Phoenix International is committed to creating the best local hotels, providing significant momentum for urbanization in the regions it serves and making substantial contributions to the development of local tourism. Exquisite Country Garden Phoenix Hotels, crafted like works of art, dot the natural landscape. With their signature gold-and-blue phoenix emblems, European-style elegant architecture, and magnificent Sistine-style arcades... Six themed hotels — business, landscape, hot spring, coastal, grassland, and golf — have produced many classic properties. More and more consumers are coming to know, choose, and trust the professional, high-quality, and welcoming services offered by Country Garden Phoenix Hotels.
Photo: Country Garden Ten-Mile Silver Beach Hotel
The hotel group has expanded rapidly, growing at an average rate of four new openings per year. In 2011, the Country Garden Group established a wholly-owned subsidiary — Country Garden Phoenix International Hotels Management Company — to comprehensively manage the branding, operations, and supporting services of Country Garden Phoenix Hotels. This move ushered in a new era of professional, high-standard management and services, propelling the group to become a leader among local hotel groups in Guangdong.
Over a Decade of Operation, Forging Excellence Through Trials
Through more than ten years of trials and growth, Country Garden Phoenix Hotels have stayed true to their original aspiration, working diligently and advancing rapidly to spread their warm service philosophy of “passionate smiles and perfection” to even farther corners, giving more consumers the opportunity to experience the beauty of the Phoenix.
Today, the footprint of Country Garden Phoenix Hotels spans across China. The group has carefully cultivated three major brands: “Country Garden Phoenix,” “Country Garden Holiday,” and “Country Garden Fengqi.” It currently operates 49 hotels with over 14,000 guest rooms in total. Among them, 46 are five-star standard hotels (including eight officially rated five-star properties), covering provinces and cities such as Guangdong, Hunan, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangsu, Shandong, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, Hainan, Chongqing, and Tianjin. Each property blends harmoniously with the surrounding natural environment, offering tranquil yet conveniently connected retreats near urban hubs. Meanwhile, the “Country Garden Fengqi” brand, focused on serviced apartments, has nearly ten operational, planned, or under-construction projects, becoming another pillar of Country Garden Phoenix International’s growth and making its mark in the serviced apartment market.
Over more than a decade of perseverance, the brand appeal of “Phoenix International” has gradually gained recognition from both within and outside the industry: from 2014 to 2015, it was awarded China’s Golden Horse Award for “Top Ten Chinese Hotel Management Companies” and “Best Employer in China’s Hospitality Industry” two years in a row; in 2015, it received the China Hotel Starlight Award as “China’s Best Hotel Management Group”; also in 2015, it won the China Hotel Five-Star Diamond Award as “China’s Best Branded Hotel Management Company of 2014”; in 2014, it was honored by the China Tourism Hotels Association as one of “China’s Top 60 Hotel Groups”; and from 2013 to 2011, it was ranked three times in the “Top 30 Domestic Hotel Management Companies (Groups)” by the same association... raising high the banner of the national hotel brand.
Photo: Country Garden Phoenix International Hotels Ballroom
Forging Excellence in Quality, Soaring to New Heights
In the face of a fiercely competitive and ever-changing market, Country Garden Phoenix Hotels have never slackened in their efforts to create a high-quality “home away from home” for guests. Internally, through a series of initiatives, the group continuously improves service quality in terms of facilities and staffing. Externally, it has signed cooperation agreements with renowned international brands such as Marriott and Hilton, aiming to accelerate its alignment with global standards and jointly enhance the development of the Country Garden Phoenix International brand.
There are currently plans for over 30 upcoming “Phoenix Hotels,” with many under construction or in the pipeline. Behind the mystery lies the awe-inspiring return of this phoenix rising from the ashes. We have every reason to believe that Country Garden Phoenix International will continue to soar, spreading its wings and showcasing the splendid brilliance of national hotel brands on an even bigger stage.