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Despite 2025’s impressive recovery—recording nearly 50 million visitors and a 12% year-on-year increase—Hong Kong’s hotel industry isn’t quite back to its historic “bull market” glory. Comparisons to the 2004–2008 and 2010–2012 peaks show a market that is currently more fragile than it looks.

The Great Divide: Luxury vs. Guesthouses

The recovery is uneven across different sectors:

– Guesthouses & Low-Tariff Hotels: These remain heavily dependent on China’s economic health. Unlike other sectors, guesthouse occupancy and room rates have failed to return to pre-COVID levels, largely due to the “hysteresis effect” of China’s cooling property market.

– High-Tariff Hotels: While occupancy here has stabilized, the supply of rooms is still increasing. This creates an internal risk: if global growth slows or geopolitical tensions rise, these luxury segments are highly susceptible to a downtrend.

Persistent Headwinds

While the “peak” for guesthouses and medium-tariff room supply passed in 2019–2022, the overall market is still frustrated by:

– China’s Economic Uncertainty: The primary factor stifling a full rebound for lower-tier accommodations.

– Global Volatility: Political instability and shifting trade dynamics continue to suppress average room rates across all classes.

Increased Competition: The steady climb in high-end room inventory threatens to outpace demand.

Strategic Pivot: Student Hostels

In light of these risks, the “bullish” outlook for traditional hotels remains shaky. A more stable alternative is the conversion of hotels into student hostels.

While many operators avoid this due to perceived technical complexities, it offers a reliable hedge against the volatility of the tourism sector. If the technical hurdles have held you back, we can help bridge that gap.

Hybrid Models: A Viable Compromise?

Could a mixed-use hotel and hostel building bridge the gap? While this model attempts to balance short-term hotel stays with long-term student needs, it often fails due to clashing expectations regarding habitation patterns and service. Crucially, feedback from Mainland parents reveals a strong disapproval of this approach. Most prioritize a secure, controlled environment for their children and view the high turnover of transient hotel guests as a significant safety risk.

Interested in exploring a conversion? Drop us an email to discuss the technicalities and market potential.

We see many non-professional personnel wrongly concluded the glass door inspection. Common mistakes such as:

(1)  ill-understanding to the door construction;

(2)  ignorance to prolonged defects;

(3) non-complete inspection to the pivot hinge;

(4) poor understanding to the floor spring mechanism;

(5) absence of knowledge to the door frame to curtain wall.

The author has approached many Facilities Manager and found the widespread of issues happening to the glass doors design.  This includes ill-sizing of door leaf, wrong ironmongery, mis-alignment of the door frame, wrong fixing of the door leaf etc.

We GBE have been appointed as Professional Building Inspectors for thousand of facility and venues. . We have devised the systematical and strategy approach for glass door inspection, maintenance, design and preventive measures.

(The author has made the 4.5 meter height giant doors in 2017)

(The author has inspected the single leaf glass door with serious mis-aligned. The photo show the light pass through the void gap resulted by eccentric of door leaf.

Recently GBE has been invited to Singapore for conducting professional inspection.

Currently, we have launched webinar for well esteemed financial institution and we have delivered the glass door maintenance for Facility Management in large compound. You are welcome to approach us for enquiry.

Managing a data center project is a complex puzzle. It involves balancing high-stakes technical requirements, tight budgets, site constraint, government compliance, aggressive timelines, noise and local climate and stringent quality controls. A Building Surveyor acts as a professional Project Manager to manage the entire work flow activity, providing very essential project management services that keep everything on track.

When you appoint a Building Surveyor to manage your data center project, your Building Surveyor will plot the plan from entire life cycle concept, which essentially covers the maintenance, operation (OPEX) and upkeeping of Data Facility.

Though there are many project managers come from a general or engineering background, A Building Surveyor’s primary expertise is the building envelope and its systems. Building Surveyors sees PUE, Building Fabric and C&S. These are critical for reducing cooling loads and protecting sensitive equipment.

GBE understands how architectural, structural, and mechanical systems (like cooling system, Power Train Unit, geneset, battery, fuel, water tanks, and MMR and cabling) must interact seamlessly within the building shell and operate in an sensible maintenance approach.

GBE is currently the appointed PM for data center ; Hyper-scale , project in Asia Region and Japan. GBE can give you direct, up-to-date insight into the local market’s specifics. You are welcome to approach us for enquiry. Our English, Mandrian & Japanese speaking Professional can give you some insight there

When million of dollars is poured for facade maintenance, seldom is moving out of the box, to turn the facade becomes your yield machine.

Curtain wall facade is complex building component. In mandatory building inspection MBIS, it is essential part subject to inspection. GBE has done both maintenance, repair and new built of curtain wall system. In the experience journey, we realize many peers has underplayed the great potential of facade for outdoor digital.

A simple “Google Earth” footage with our technical study to the curtain wall system may flourish you with another fresh impression and economical benefit.

Why don’t you think of bringing up your facade when you kept spending million on maintenance? When you have to satisfy the MBIS, why do you think of the uplifting at the same time. Many said the technicality is too out of depth. You are welcome to drop us an email.

爛尾項目

何謂爛尾項目，是指未能按計劃完成的建設項目。而專業復建服務可以使爛尾項目重新啟動並最終完成。但對於業主而言，爛尾樓的存在仍然是一場巨大的災難。未能完成的項目意味著大量投入的資金無法收回，承建商可能會提出索償，銀行亦可能會終止貸款。更糟糕的是，物業可能需要以低價出售於市場，造成進一步的損失。

復建無望的主因

最令人遺憾的是，在面對這些問題時，很多時缺乏專業人士的協助，使情況更加複雜。這些問題錯綜複雜，讓許多行內外的人士選擇避而遠之。

這些項目需要大量的專業知識來應對各種挑戰，涵蓋範疇包括：

1. 地政

2. 規劃

3. 建築

4. 地盤施工

5. 機電系統

6. 規範材料等

7. 妥善處理銷售文件的完成，包括分契和大廈公契等業權轉讓的技術文件

[筆者曾於2006 年北京四環近郊的爛尾項目做檢查，亦參與過深圳中心城檢查。]

[筆者替一地產投資基金評核爛尾項目的投資可行性。]

寶貴經驗

我們曾經處理過一個停工多年的爛尾項目，也涉及活化工廠大廈的爛尾項目以及國內的不良資產項目。我們也為基金投資公司核查有潛力的爛尾項目，這些項目包括正在興建或尚未完成的地盤。

目前，樓市正經歷深度調整，導致大量爛尾項目的出現。我們也接收到許多由會計師行和律師樓轉交的個案，若有需要，歡迎隨時查詢。

由於每個爛尾項目內容非常敏感，因此未能在公開平台討論。敬請見諒。

Blockage inside the Pipe

Is epoxy-coated pipe with Stainless Steel Collar a Right Choice

GBE has been practising in the various large scale repair , renovation, asset upgarding and new development project. We have experienced the entire life – cycle of the property .

An interesting observation was the choice of epoxy-coated iron pipe by many peers . Many prefers this pipe with their specific reason, but seldom can share the issue associated with the maintenance

Below is the footage we made to illustrate the inherent problem of epoxy-coated pipe. The internal lining which was formed by rolling iron-sheeting, was peeled off and physically blocked all the deposit inside.

We observe there are some reasons causing the peeling off. The issue such as mis-alignment of stainless steel collar to the pipe, the imperfect treatment to all the cut edges, wrong choice of fitting and insufficient of pipe brackets.

How Hong Kong buildings runs in compressed Cycle construction ?

How Hong Kong buildings runs in compressed Cycle construction ?

6 points which Professional Project Manager should know

To successfully manage the reinforced concrete (RC) cycle in building construction, a professional project manager (PM) must be aware of several key points.

1. The installation of precast concrete walls on the floor plate is a crucial step. This not only helps with accurate setting. It needs to be in place at the earliest to free up the working time of tower to serve other trade.

2. The lift shaft temporary platform needs to be strictly controlled according to practice notes. This platform serves as a temporary housing for equipment during construction.

3. Understanding the joist and purlin requirements for the timber formworks in cantilever structures is essential. These structural elements provide support and stability to the formwork system. This also impairs the cycling if it is wrongly programmed.

4. The left-in GMS anchor for the curtain wall must be accounted for. This anchor provides a secure attachment point for the curtain wall system.

5. The left-in GMS anchor for the curtain wall must be accounted for. This anchor provides a secure attachment point for the curtain wall system.

6. The PM should be aware of the location of left-in conduits and box-outs for future trimming bars. These elements allow for easy installation of electrical and mechanical components in the future.

By understanding and managing these six points effectively, a professional PM can ensure a smooth and successful RC cycle in building construction.

GBE has been practicing in the various large scale repair , renovation, asset upgrading and new development project. We have experienced the entire life – cycle of the property .

An interesting observation was the choice of epoxy-coated iron pipe by many peers . Many prefers this pipe with their specific reason, but seldom can share the issue associated with the maintenance

Below is the footage we made to illustrate the inherent problem of epoxy-coated pipe. The internal lining which was formed by rolling iron-sheeting, was peeled off and physically blocked all the deposit inside.

We observe there are some reasons causing the peeling off. The issue such as mis-alignment of stainless steel collar to the pipe, the imperfect treatment to all the cut edges, wrong choice of fitting and insufficient of pipe brackets.

GBE is glad to be appointed again for the luxury residential apartments in Happy Valley. This project is the Professional call.

Being the Professional Surveyor / AP / RSE, a very technical and holistic approach to mastering of the old design code against the current enforceable standard prevailing in the town.

With the aid of BIM uses, the drawing generation, spatial survey, crash analysis are all in place to lever up the entire quality of services.

Welcome enquiry from the you

What a shame when million of money has spent with tons of supervision and ends up the concrete quality like below picture.

While much says were casted on the deficiency supervision, GBE wants to highight how a professional approach should be to handle and redo the concrete columns. How to contain the damage ? how to maintain and bring back the right supporting structure ? What should be done right once and for all. See the video.