New Marriott and Pan Pacific Properties in Singapore

Marriott International announced an agreement with Hiap Hoe Limited, through HH Properties Pte Ltd, to bring the Aloft Hotels brand to Singapore. There will be a strategic conversion of the 785 room hotel with the rebranding reopening to take place in Q3 2023, marking the Aloft brand’s debut in Singapore. This will be the largest Aloft branded hotel in the world. Aloft Singapore Novena will be comprised of two towers, strategically located in Zhongshan Park, a mixed-use development in the cultural district of Balestier. Dining options will include a modern Chinese and local seafood restaurant and a Halal-certified buffet. Other amenities will include an outdoor pool, gym, and pillarless and modern event spaces. This will be Marriott International’s fourteenth hotel in Singapore.

Pan Pacific Hotels Group, a member of Singapore-listed UOL Group, unveiled its latest flagship hotel, Pan Pacific Orchard, Singapore. The 23-story hotel was developed by UOL and has dramatic terraced greenery occupying over 200% of the hotel’s land area, helping with the green rejuvenation of the Garden City’s Orchard Road district. The hotel has 347 rooms and suites. There is a 130-seater Pacific Club Lounge within the Garden Terrace, offering a private retreat with indoor and outdoor alfresco spaces. Pan Pacific Orchard will soon launch the Atelier-in-Residence program where the hotel will host a limited-edition made-in Singapore brands that celebrate craft and innovation, housed on floor 11. There are three dining concepts with Singapore’s first gin distillery, Singapore’s Orchard Gin. Floor 18 of the Cloud Terrace includes the pillarless 600sqm Claymore Ballroom.

The Gran Melia Nha Trang property at Vega City Nha Trang in Vietnam is expected to open on July 6. The all villa Gran Melia property will have 272 keys and is owned by KDI Holdings and will feature 94 private pool villas with Asia’s first outpost of the Spanish restaurant, Hispania, and with wellness offerings from private onsens to Turkish baths. Rooms start at 68 square meters to villas that range in size from one to four bedrooms. The jewel is the palatial multi-level four bedroom villa at nearly 700 square meters. All private villas have infinity pools, spacious dining areas, and indoor and outdoor living spaces. Besides Hispania, the property will feature four other dining destinations, wellness offerings including spa facilities, infinity pool, private outdoor onsens, pilates, yoga and gym studio and more. The property also will have a multi-function space that can cater for up to 110 guests at a cocktail reception-style event. The resort is situated within a new, world-class leisure and entertainment destination in Nha Trang, Vega City.

The Sydney Morning Herald said the deal for Arthur Laundy and Theo Karedis to buy the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort on the Gold Coast is expected to be signed in the coming weeks. The article was mostly to tout the strength of the market but also highlighted that Simon McGrath, from CEO of Accor Pacific, will be heading the Laundy family and Karedis joint venture’s hotel business which also includes Sofitel Noosa, Crowne Plaza in Terrigal and the Manly Pacific. The article also highlighted that EVT has launched the Rydges Resort Hunter Valley after taking over the management of what was the Crowne Plaza. The hotel is owned by Dr. Jerry Schwartz.

BWH Hotels has expanded its footprint in Asia with the recent opening of three new hotels in Bangkok and Kyoto. Best Western Chatuchak is a new hotel located next to the Chatuchak Market, close to Bangkok’s new main rail terminal. The 192-key hotel has meeting spaces of various sizes both indoor and outdoor. The Best Western Ratchada Hotel is located in the downtown Ratchada district in Bangkok, just minutes from the Chinese Embassy and Stock Exchange of Thailand. The 120-key hotel is less than 40 minutes from Bangkok’s two major airports. In Kyoto, Japan, BWH opened the KAYA Kyoto Nijo Castle, BW Signature Collection by Best Western. The 57 room boutique hotel is surrounded by UNESCO World Heritage sites.

The Club Med Kiroro Grand will open its doors in December 2023. The new resort in the mountains of Hokkaido welcomes skiers of all skill levels. The property is sprawled across two mountains in Japan, Asari and Nagami. The ski-in/ski-out Club Med resort includes three types of rooms: Superior, Deluxe and Suite. The resort comes with a gym, indoor heated swimming pool with a separate adult and kids pool area, sauna, jacuzzi and whirlpool bath as well as the Club Med Spa and Japanese Onsen.

Sterling Holidays Resorts Pty Ltd, part of Thomas Cook India group, plans to add a new hotel every month in the second half of this year. The company expects the number of properties to increase to 55 during the course of next year. As of April 30, Sterling had 2,447 rooms across 40 resorts, of which 15 are company-owned resorts, 10 are leased and there are 15 management contracts. They plan to add 188 rooms across six resorts in the first half of the current financial year.

Pagoda Centurion, a luxury hotel chain from New Delhi, India, announced its latest addition in Mussoori, steps away from the vibrant Mall Road. The Pagoda Centurion in Mussoorie is their first establishment in the city. It features 34 rooms and suites, each with views of the surrounding mountains. The hotel includes a range of on-site facilities including a swimming pool, fitness center and a spa.

Lemon Tree Hotels Limited announced the opening of two of its latest hotels – Lemon Tree Hotel, Agra and Lemon Tree Hotel, Bhopal in India. The company made its debut in both cities and has added more than 100 rooms to its inventory. Lemon Tree Hotel, Agra will open in two phases with 30 rooms and suites opened and 30 more to open soon. The rooms will be complemented by a Citrus Café multi-cuisine restaurant and two banquet halls. Lemon Tree Hotel, Bhopal will feature 46 rooms, a Citrus Café, tea lounge, banquet hall, fitness center and more.

The Fern Hotels & Resorts announced the opening of its newest property, The Fern – An Ecotel Hotel, Alwar-Sariska, located in the heart of Alwar, Rajasthan in India. This is the company’s eleventh operational hotel in Rajasthan and offers 57 rooms, catering to both business and leisure travelers. The hotel offers a range of dining options, banquet hall and conference room, swimming pool, fitness center and spa.