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Hotel Corner

David Lau, General Manager of Popway Hotel

We talk to David Lau, the energetic young entrepreneur running the new Popway Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon.
 
Born and raised in Hong Kong, I ventured into the hospitality industry in 2008, opening a hostel in Mongkok when I was still studying at Chinese University of Hong Kong. I was fascinated by the dynamic, ever-changing nature of the business, so my passion for it grew gradually. That sowed the seeds of my career in the field of hospitality.
 
Though I acquired knowledge of the hotel industry from the Master of Science programme in International Hospitality Management afterwards, I always tend to think as an “outsider” of the industry – that allows me to look at it from a different angle and thus understand the needs of the customers better.
 
Opening this hotel was by no means an easy task – I got involved in every aspect, from securing the licence to overseeing the construction. Along the way, I worked with a wide variety of talented people, as the final result emerged step by step.
 
As both owner and general manager, I take a collaborative approach to leading my team – I believe that progress along one’s career path should make one increasingly humble. In this way, your team will be more willing to work with you.
 
Popway stands for “Passion Of Poppets Will Amaze You”. We address our staff here as “poppets”, as they are all adorable and friendly. You can also find popcorn, our hotel’s signature item, in numerous spots – from the popcorn machine near the entrance to the mini-bar in the guest rooms – indeed there is a strong theme running to every corner of the hotel.
 
In the hospitality industry, passion is more important than ability. What has motivated me all along is the variety of challenges we encounter every day from our customers. When you see their happy and satisfied faces, it makes all that effort worthwhile.
 
Competition among the hotels in Tsim Sha Tsui is fierce – A favourite district for tourists, it is home to all kinds of accommodation, from five-star luxury to the budget joints in Chung King Mansions. While we don’t have the fanciest facilities, we pride ourselves on the heartfelt, detail-oriented service we offer to our guests.
 
Hong Kong has oodles of charm – I love the infrastructure and transportation here, but my favourite thing about the city is its unmatched efficiency – service is not only fast but also delivered with quality and passion.
 
Aside from shopping and food, Hong Kong also has a cultural side, which is sometimes overlooked. It has quite a few lovely museums – just in Tsim Sha Tsui there are five already – offering a great deal of interesting information about our history and culture. 

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