The company, whose premier brand is The Peninsula group of hotels, traces its roots to 1866 and two principal cities, Hong Kong and Shanghai. One of the first three companies to be listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange, HSH has been under the stewardship of the majority owners, the Kadoorie family, for much of its history.
Several of the properties closely identified with the company are historic icons in the hospitality industry; their heritage has been carefully preserved even as they have been positioned for the future. These include the flagship Peninsula Hong Kong (1928); The Peninsula New York (1905 Beaux Arts building, originally The Gotham Hotel); and the 1984 reconstruction of the facade of The Repulse Bay Hotel (1920).
International expansion of The Peninsula brand began in the second half of the 20th century. At the beginning of the 21st century, the premier business of the company is the ownership and operation of deluxe hotels in international gateway cities.
The current portfolio includes eight operating hotels in Asia and the USA, with a ninth under construction. On completion of The Peninsula Chicago in mid-2001, the room inventory will total 3,312. In addition to rooms revenues, the company derives income from shopping arcades and office space in several of the hotels, with net lettable commercial space of 193,644 square feet.
The company also manages several of the top private members clubs in Hong Kong and Beijing as well as The Wing, Cathay Pacific's First and Business Class lounges at Hong Kong International Airport.