TORONTO — With so many luxury offerings on the market today, it’s becoming harder for upscale properties to stand out from the crowd. Hong Kong-based The Peninsula Hotels, however, is rising up to the challenge with its intimate collection of 10 ultra-luxe hotels, located in some of the world’s most celebrated cities.

Representatives from each of its properties were recently in Toronto to host a dim sum lunch at Toronto’s famed Luckee restaurant, whose head chef – Susur Lee – coincidentally once worked at Peninsula’s flagship in Hong Kong. As the oldest small hotel company in the world, The Peninsula Hotels celebrates its 150th anniversary this year with plenty of new updates to its upscale portfolio.

“We’re constantly refreshing our hotels and are always at the forefront of industry trends,” said Amanda Perlyn Jackson, Regional Director of Marketing, Midwest and Canada. “Peninsula has a very rich heritage, thanks to our 150-year-old history.”

Eri Sugimoto, The Peninsula Tokyo (left), and Sharon Yuen, The Peninsula Beijing

Corey Utberg, Regional Sales Manager, also highlighted two new properties that will soon be added to the company’s portfolio: The Peninsula Istanbul, coming in 2020 with 200 rooms, meeting space and restaurants along the Bosphorus; and The Peninsula London, which had its groundbreaking ceremony last fall and will boast 190 rooms with 24 residences, also opening in 2020.

Also, currently in construction and scheduled for a 2021 opening, is The Peninsula Yangon, which will be part of a mixed-use project. It will occupy the former Myanmar Railway Headquarters and will be fully renovated into The Peninsula Residences Yangon, featuring luxury residential apartments.

But for now, agents can book their most discerning clients at the following properties:

The Peninsula Hong Kong:

• Celebrating its 90th anniversary this year, the flagship property is located in Kowloon overlooking Victoria Harbour, offering perfect views of the city’s nightly light show
• The hotel was renovated three years ago
• The Peninsula Hong Kong’s lobby had the world’s first city check-in counter for airlines, while The Verandah restaurant is known for serving Hong Kong’s first-ever buffet
• Selling points: Afternoon Tea in The Lobby; seven restaurants and two bars; dim sum cooking demonstrations; 14 Rolls-Royce Phantom vehicles and two MINI Cooper S Clubman, all customized with refrigerators and iPod connections for guest use

The Peninsula Shanghai

The Peninsula Shanghai:

• Opened in 2009, this hotel topped ‘The Best City Hotels in Asia’ readers’ pool for the second consecutive year with a score of 97.01 out of 100
• It has 235 rooms and suites, five restaurants and bars, a spa, indoor swimming pool and fitness centre, and a Peninsula Arcade featuring lead retailers
• It is the only luxury hotel in Shanghai with a customized car fleet: four bespoke Extended Wheelbase Rolls-Royce Phantoms, six BMW Peninsula Editions, two MINI Cooper S Clubman and a restored 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II
• Selling points: Airport greeting service available upon request; The Peninsula Academy featuring activities for all ages, including kite-making and a private tour of Shanghai’s heritage buildings

The Peninsula Beijing:

• This hotel recently downgraded its 525 rooms to 230 to double the size of rooms to become an all-suite property
• Following its renovation, the hotel has focused largely on art, by integrating a collection of original artworks by renowned Chinese artists into the hotel’s design, and offering art tours to local museums
• Selling points: It is the only hotel in Beijing to offer guaranteed 24-hour check-in and checkout at no extra charge (flight details must be confirmed ahead of time)

The Peninsula Tokyo

The Peninsula Tokyo:

• Eri Sugimoto, Assistant Director of Sales, told Travelweek that Tokyo is becoming more popular for Canadians who come during cherry blossom season (late March-early April); however, she also suggests May (“picnic season”) as well as October-November for beautiful fall foliage
• The hotel is ideally situated just a few minutes’ walk from the shopping capital of Ginza
• In 2014 The Peninsula Tokyo welcomed a Tesla Model S to its fleet, which already includes a restored 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II, two BMW 740Li and two MINI Cooper S Clubmans
• Selling points: It’s pet friendly, featuring dog walking services and specially designed menus; it’s the only hotel in Tokyo to offer 3-connecting rooms

The Peninsula New York:

• Located in Midtown Manhattan, this hotel is within walking distance of Central Park, Rockefeller Center and Fifth Avenue shopping
• It’s housed in a 1905 landmark building, with two Chinese Guardian Lions standing guard at the hotel entrance to ward off evil spirits, according to Chinese tradition
• It’s family friendly, with dedicated children’s amenities and spacious rooms
• Selling points: complimentary three-hour, chauffeur-driven experience in one of two MINI Cooper S Clubmans; The Peninsula Academy experiences include behind-the-scenes access to a Broadway show, a foraging tour and a picnic in Central Park

The Peninsula Chicago

The Peninsula Chicago:

• This property was named the #1 hotel in Chicago, and the #2 hotel in the USA in 2018 by ‘U.S. News and World Report
• Kids will get a kick out of Peter Bear, the beloved mascot of The Peninsula Hotels, who pop in at Afternoon Tea to hand out treats and pose for photos
• VIPs (Very Important Pets) are greeted at the hotel with a pet bed, water and food bowls and also enjoy in-room dining menus (must be 30 pounds or less)
• Selling points: Guests who book a suite can book a chauffeured bespoke BMW for a three-hour Chicago tour; The Peninsula Academy experiences include sightseeing by helicopter, a cooking class and tea ceremony, a private architectural boat cruise, and more

The Peninsula Beverly Hills:

• This hotel boasts 195 guestrooms, including 38 suites and 17 private villas
• Featuring more of a traditional look, it offers a private estate feel as well as custom-designed suites furnished by famed designers, each with its own personality
• It is the only AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five Star-rated hotel in Southern California every year since 1993
• Selling points: The Peninsula Spa and The Roof Garden offer a refined resort oasis, featuring a rooftop swimming pool, private cabanas and outdoor cocktails and dining; it’s also family- and pet-friendly, with adjoining rooms and doggy amenities

The Peninsula Paris:

• Located just steps from the Arc de Triomphe, The Peninsula Paris houses 200 rooms, including 86 suites inspired by Haute Couture
• Its on-site spa is one of the largest hotel spas in Paris, and features a 20-metre swimming pool
• The Peninsula Paris received the acclaimed ‘Palace’ distinction for its excellence
• Selling points: Guests are offered an exclusive opportunity to visit Versailles in a Rolls-Royce as part of a private, behind-the-scenes tour that can also include a picnic on the grounds

The Peninsula Bangkok

The Peninsula Bangkok:

• This hotel celebrates its 20th anniversary this year with 20 riverside “amazing” experiences launching next month
• Meals are made with ingredients grown from The Naturally Peninsula Garden
• The hotel’s pastry team creates over 300 variations of chocolate fresh each day
• The Peninsula Bangkok has four shuttle boats available on demand between three piers
• Selling points: Refreshed product that focuses largely on health and harmony, including complimentary activities such as Muay Thai boxing, yoga and culinary tours in a tuk-tuk equipped with Wi-Fi

The Peninsula Manila:

• Opened 42 years ago, this hotel is affectionately known as the ‘Jewel in the Capital’s Crown’
• It’s lobby marble staircase is one of two staircases in the Philippines that are the most photographed
• Selling points: 24-hour dining and beverage service in the lobby; its bespoke Jeepney (a Filipino cultural icon) offers a thrilling way to zip around town

For more information go to peninsula.com.