Singapore-based service residence owner-operator The Ascott has signed 26 new properties across 11 countries, 24 of which are planned for the Asia-Pacific region.
These properties are slated to open in phases from 2019 to 2023 and will feature 6,000 units across 22 cities and 11 countries, according to a press release from Ascott.
The move will see Ascott debuting in six cities: Atyrau in Kazakhstan, Nairobi in Kenya, Yokohama in Japan, Seongnam in South Korea, as well as Cam Ranh and Hoi An in Vietnam.
Ascott is also expanding its presence in 14 cities, including Melbourne and Sydney in Australia; Chengdu, Dongguan, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Wuhan and Xian in China; Bogor and Jambi in Indonesia; Cyberjaya in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Cebu in the Philippines; and Bangkok in Thailand.
According to a spokesperson for Ascott, 24 out of the 26 properties will open in countries throughout the Asia-Pacific region. The press release from Ascott provides details on 17 of the new properties opening in Asia-Pacific. A spokesperson told Business-Traveller Asia-Pacific that details on the seven remaining properties in the Asia-Pacific region will be released at a later date.
Ascott declined to provide information for the seven other properties
Here are highlights of some of the properties opening in Asia-Pacific:
- In China, one of the properties includes the Citadines Optical Valley Wuhan, opening in 2020. Ascott said this property will feature 160 units comprised of mostly studio apartments that will “cater to business travellers, tech professionals and tertiary students in the area”.
- In Indonesia, Ascott is launching three properties including the HARRIS Jambi, located in the city’s “entertainment and business district” and a 20-minute drive from Sultan Thaha airport.
- Ascott is opening a 162-room hotel called FOX Lite DPulze Cyberjaya in Malaysia. Companies such as BMW, Dell, Hewlett Packard, HSBC, Motorola, Shell and Fujitsu are located within walking distance of the property, Ascott said.
- In South Korea, Ascott is opening its first property in Seongnam, called the Somerset Central Bundang. According to the press release, it will be situated in the “Central Business District of Bundang, one of South Korea’s wealthiest and most developed areas”.
- In Thailand, Ascott is opening its second Citadines Connect business hotel in Asia Pacific, the first being Citadines Connect Sydney Airport. Called Citadines Connect Thonglor Bangkok, the 170-unit hotel comes with a rooftop garden, gymnasium and an infinity pool overlooking the city’s skyline and will cater to “corporate and leisure travellers”.
- In Vietnam, Ascott is opening three new properties including a 582-unit property called Citadines Pearl Hoi An. The hotel will feature a lobby, an all-day dining outlet, meeting room, fitness centre, as well as an outdoor swimming pool with a pool bar.
Ascott said that the Asia-Pacific region “continues to see strong demand for lodging in tandem with lower cost of travel, improving travel infrastructure and middle-class demographics’ growing disposable income and aspiration to travel”.
Earlier this year, Ascott launched a new loyalty programme called “Ascott Star Rewards”. This programme offers full flexibility to earn and redeem points. There is no cap to the points that can be earned, no minimum points required for redemption, no blackout dates, and there is also the option to nominate other guests to earn points.
“Member bookings have quickly tripled since the loyalty programme was launched in April 2019,” Ascott said. “Members of Ascott Star Rewards have a greater choice of properties across the globe as Ascott has opened 16 properties this year, with more than 30 properties scheduled to open for the rest of 2019.”
As of today, Ascott has this year signed contracts for over 40 properties with more than 8,000 units, an increase of over 40% in units compared with the same period in 2018. Ascott has also opened 16 properties with over 2,000 units, a 70% increase in operational units compared with 2018.
