A new chapter for EAST Beijing
Swire Hotels appointed Dany Lützel General Manager of EAST Beijing in September 2026. He is responsible for the property’s operations, commercial performance, financial results and teams.
According to the announcement, he is expected to keep growing the “hotel’s community of curious minds, creatives and travellers who approach work, life and travel differently”. EAST Beijing has 359 rooms and is located within INDIGO, a predominantly commercial mixed-use development by Swire Properties in the Jiangtai area of Chaoyang District.
The hotel sits between the 4th and 5th Ring Roads, close to the 798 Art District and the Beijing National Stadium. It offers two restaurants, a bar, a fitness centre, an indoor swimming pool and a meetings and events space called The Workshop. The airport, the CBD and the national exhibition centres are 15 minutes away, with Beijing South Railway Station 30 minutes by car.
EAST is one of Swire Hotels’ two brands, alongside Upper House. It operates in Hong Kong, Beijing and Miami and targets curious, creative guests with a strong interest in sustainability.
Nine years at the helm of Hotel Éclat Beijing
Dany Lützel led Hotel Éclat Beijing from August 2017 to August 2026. The 100-room art and boutique hotel, a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, is located within the Parkview Green complex in the heart of Beijing’s CBD.
Under his leadership, the property was ranked the No. 1 hotel in China and 37th worldwide in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards 2023. It also reports growth in average daily rate, occupancy and RevPAR against its two STR competitive sets, including during the pandemic. In 2023, the hotel had three restaurants, including a Michelin-starred Italian, and renovated and repositioned George’s Restaurant and Bar.
He also worked on the owner-operator relationship, introducing new accommodation and food and beverage concepts. He forged partnerships with Ensemble, American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Art of Hospitality. As representative of the brand owner, he signed a memorandum of understanding in 2024 with Nasla Tourism Co. with a view to bringing the Éclat brand to Saudi Arabia.
From November 2020 to August 2026, he sat on the International Advisory Board of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, representing the Asia-Pacific region. He also chairs the Swiss Club Beijing on a voluntary basis.
Chongqing: learning the Chinese market
His connection with China began in 2010, when he studied at Fudan University in Shanghai during the World Expo. In October 2013, he joined Kempinski Hotel Chongqing as Executive Assistant Manager, becoming Resident Manager in 2014.
In 2015, he took over as General Manager of the 416-room property, which features six food and beverage outlets and a 1,700 m² convention centre. He reports a 4% year-on-year increase in RevPAR and an improved STR ranking.
From May 2016 to June 2017, he led the pre-opening of Niccolo Chongqing, the city’s first “sky hotel”, in the new Jiangbeizui business district. The property has 252 rooms, including 20 suites, with a wellness centre, a 20-metre swimming pool and a ballroom located on the upper floors of the tower.
The Chinese hotel market remains highly active, as shown by the signing of 24 new Holiday Inn hotels in Greater China, several of them in Beijing.
Early career in Switzerland with Radisson Blu
Before China, Dany Lützel spent more than seven years at Radisson Blu Hotel St. Gallen. He served as Director of Sales and Marketing from 2006, then Resident Manager in 2008, before becoming General Manager from December 2008 to June 2013.
During this period, the 123-room hotel became the first in St. Gallen to be classified 4-star superior by the Swiss Hotel Association. It was also named Best Franchised Hotel 2011 by Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. He reports a 33% increase in average daily rate at constant occupancy.
He graduated from the Schweizerische Hotelfachschule Luzern (2005) and holds an Executive MBA in Service Management from FHS St. Gallen, obtained in 2012.
A team-centred approach
Dany Lützel first discovered EAST Beijing as a guest. The announcement notes that he was drawn to the hotel’s interiors, its welcoming atmosphere and its roots in the local community.
“I want to build on EAST Beijing’s strong community and create even more reasons for people to come together,” he says. “That starts with the team. I have always believed that exceptional hospitality is built on openness, trust and on giving teams the confidence to bring their personality and creativity to every interaction.”
Analysis – Swire Hotels has opted for a general manager long established in Beijing who knows the local market well. After nine years at a 100-room luxury hotel, Dany Lützel moves to a lifestyle property more than three times larger. EAST Beijing also serves a broader mix of guests, spanning business travellers, events and neighbourhood life. Managing volume and nurturing the community will therefore be central to his remit.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
Dany Lützel takes the helm of EAST Beijing
New role: General Manager, EAST Beijing (Swire Hotels), from September 2026
Hotel: 359-room lifestyle hotel at INDIGO, Swire Properties’ mixed-use project in Chaoyang District
Previous role: General Manager, Hotel Éclat Beijing (2017-2026), No. 1 hotel in China at the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards 2023
Track record: pre-opening of the 252-room Niccolo Chongqing; General Manager of Kempinski Hotel Chongqing and Radisson Blu Hotel St. Gallen
Profile: Swiss hotelier with 25+ years of experience, based in Chinese Mainland for more than a decade
