Peninsula Court / Marco Polo Hotel [1957-1982] | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Peninsula Court / Marco Polo Hotel [1957-1982]

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Submitted by moddsey on Wed, 2010-09-29 19:21
Current condition: 
Demolished / No longer exists
Date Place completed: 
1957-08-07
Date Place demolished: 
1982-12-31
Tags: 
hotel
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Photos that show this place

1950
1956
1957
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Comments

Submitted by David on Wed, 2010-09-29 21:58.

I've also seen this building described as the Peninsula Court. But it's impossible to miss the big 'Marco Polo' name - does anyone know the relationship between the two?

Regards, David

Submitted by moddsey on Thu, 2016-09-22 04:46.

Please see http://gwulo.com/node/1317#comment-14504

Submitted by David on Thu, 2010-09-30 15:56.

In Google's Book search, I found a 1963 guidebook with this mention:

[...] Peninsula Court, is more modern, exudes a good deal less atmosphere, and is the site of the very good Marco Polo restaurant.

A couple of mentions from the HSH history page:

  • 1955: work commenced on The Peninsula Court, adjacent to The Peninsula, consisting of 12 floors and operating as an annexe to the hotel;
  • 1969: The Peninsula Court developed into 10 suites and 107 bedrooms with a bridge linking it to The Peninsula, thereby increasing the total accommodation to 31 suites and 307 rooms.

Phil has found the demolition date:

According to the "Heritage Project" website the Peninsula Court was demolished in 1982. Makes no mention of Marco Polo though.

Submitted by annelisec on Thu, 2010-09-30 17:04.

Should the title be changed to "Peninsula Court" ?  It was the restaurant that was called "Marco Polo"

In March 1970 The Peninsula bedrooms were increased to 350 by incorporating the old Peninsula Court across the road by way of a covered aluminum bridge on the second floor level to link the two buildings.
...
In the Marco Polo Restaurant a luncheon buffet is served where the dishes symbolise the countries though which that intrepid traveller passes." 

- The world and south east Asia - 1972 - by Oswald Leopold Ziegler

(see 1960 photo - link via thumbnail above)

Submitted by philk on Thu, 2010-09-30 19:34.

There seems to have been a lot of cross ownership/management between HSH and Marco Polo hotel groups so I wonder if it's possible that HSH still owned the Peninsula Court but gave the management over to MP and that was when the name was changed. I can't find any evidence to back this up mind you I'm just speculating.

When was the link bridge demolished? At the same time as the hotel or before?

 

Submitted by annelisec on Thu, 2010-09-30 21:34.

What I have found so far ...

The Marco Polo Hotel, at the junction of Tanglin Road and Grange Road, Singapore - was originally known as Hotel Malaysia when it was first constructed in 1968. It was so well-known that many popular personalities chose to stay there in the 1970s. The hotel however slipped into oblivion when it was torn down in 1999, and on its site now sits a condominium called the Grange Residences.

In 1973, the Goodwood Group sold it to the Hongkong and Kowloon-based Wharf and Godown Company Limited.

It seems that problems between the Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels (HSH)and Wharf started right away:

Far Eastern economic review: Volume 83
   
1974 - Snippet view
The Peninsula Group received a setback to its expansion plans with the announcement in February that the projected Marco Polo Hotel would not be built. The site-owners and developers, the Hongkong and Kowloon Wharf Company, ...

On Mar 6, 1981 , the company went public, and HSH sold some of their equity. They still kept 10% ownership.

They then bought the Hotel Merlin property.

The next year, the Marco Polo Hotel in Harbour City opened with 440 rooms, managed by HSH.

Marco Polo Hotels in Hong Kong were

built 1982 - Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel (formerly the Hongkong Hotel)
built 1983 - Prince Hotel

In 1985 HSH was "withdrawn from management" of the Hong Kong, Marco Polo and Prince Hotels.  Sold their remaining of 10.24% equity shareholding in Hotel Marco Polo Ltd. Management services for Singapore Hotel also withdrawn.

The Peninsula Court and the Hotel Merlin were torn down, and the new Kowloon Hotel built.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 2010-10-27 12:01.

The Marco Polo was managed by Andrew Ostroumoff, who went on to manage the Repulse Bay Hotel.  

The Marco Polo was located on Nathan Rd on the corner of Middle St (across the road from the Peninsula Hotel.

Submitted by David on Tue, 2014-04-29 10:43.

I've added dates for this building, and also added "Peninsula Court" to the name.

Is there any evidence of the building being called "Marco Polo Hotel", or can we delete that from the name?

Regards, David

Submitted by annelisec on Fri, 2014-05-02 08:30.

Change it to Marco Polo Restaurant

Submitted by David on Thu, 2016-09-22 14:15.

I've changed the completion date from 1955 to 1957, based on Moddsey's comment:

Rechecked the opening date of the Peninsula Court. The 12-storey building was opened on 7 August 1957. The China Mail of the same day refers.

Submitted by Bozworth on Sun, 2016-12-18 17:30.

The hotel built in 1982 was not the Hong Kong Hotel, it was the Marco Polo Hotel.  The Hong Kong Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui on Canton Road was built sometime in the 60s or 70s.  In the late 80s, it was rebranded the Omni Hong Kong Hotel and then finally Marco Polo Hong Kong Hotel.  The Marco Polo Hotel (built in 1982) in Harbour City, further up Canton Road, became the Omni Marco Polo Hotel and then later the Gateway Hotel.