CapitaLand's wholly-owned serviced residence business unit, The Ascott Limited, has been awarded a contract to manage its second serviced residence in Iskandar Malaysia. The 310-unit Somerset Medini Iskandar will be Singapore-based Ascott's largest property in Malaysia when it opens in end 2015.
Teekay Goh has been appointed Resident Manager of the Parkroyal Serviced Suites Kuala Lumpur. The move marks a promotion for Goh, who previously served as the property’s Director of Sales & Marketing. He has 15 years of experience including a spell with Berjaya Hotels & Resorts.
CapitaLand's wholly-owned serviced residence business unit, The Ascott Limited (Ascott), has been awarded a contract to manage its second serviced residence in Iskandar Malaysia. The 310-unit Somerset Medini Iskandar will be Singapore-based Ascott's largest property in Malaysia when it opens in end 2015.
Best Western International – the World’s Largest Hotel Chain® - has continued its exciting start to 2013 with the launch of a stunning new resort in Malaysia. Located in the popular coastal town of Port Dickson, just 40 minutes’ drive from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and 90 minutes from KL, the BEST WESTERN Prima Inland Sea Resort offers an exciting new option for leisure travelers and corporate groups.
Malaysia's five-star Sama-Sama KL International Airport hotel has signed with Pegasus Solutions for a complete suite of distribution and reservation services to drive global bookings. The flagship property of Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad's new Sama-Sama brand, the first dedicated airport hotel brand in the region, has adopted Pegasus' UI chain code for international sales support, and will leverage online and mobile site design and booking solutions from Pegasus' Open Hospitality division.
With over 16 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Nazrul started his career as a Customer Sales & Service Agent in 1996. He was then promoted as Front Office Supervisor in 1997. 1998 saw him moving on as Guest Services Manager at Pan Pacific Kuala Lumpur International Airport. In 2002, Nazrul was its Front Office Manager before taking up the role of Executive House keeper in 2009. Prior to joining PARKROYAL Kuala Lumpur, he was the Rooms Division Manager from November 2010 until 2012.
Swiss-Belhotel International has announced the appointment of Mr. Bennet Chang as General Manager for Wedgewood Residences by Swiss-Belhotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. With a career spanning 24 years in the international hospitality industry, Mr. Chang has held a number of senior management positions at leading international hotels in Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam. Besides his expertise in the management of world class hotels, Mr. Chang has extensive experience in hotel renovation, re-branding and pre-opening. A graduate of the Hotel Institute of Montreux in Switzerland with a Swiss Hotel Management Diploma, Mr. Chang also holds an American Hotel & Motel Association (AHMA) Hotel Management Diploma. Besides being fluent in English and Bahasa Malaysia, Mr. Chang is also able to converse in Cantonese, French and German.
Norsidah Ahmad has been named as Director of Sales & Marketing at The Andaman, a Luxury Collection Resort Langkawi. A Malaysian national, Ms Ahmad has spent 10 years with Starwood, most recently as Complex Director of Sales for the Sheraton and Four Points Langkawi.
Ms. Godio was Director of Operations General Manager of El Nido Resorts in the Philippines prior to joining The Banjaran. During her stint at El Nido Resorts, Ms. Godio was in charge of the overall operations of the three island resorts. She was particularly involved in the pre-opening of the two luxury island resorts comprising 50 rooms in 2010 and 42 rooms in 2012 as well as implementing the resorts standards, systems and proceduresMs. Godios other noteworthy experiences in the luxury hospitality industry include four (4) years spent as part of pre-opening as well as sales and marketing of Amanvillas, seven (7) luxury villa homes at the plush Amanpulo Resort in the Philippines which is part of Amanresorts. Amanresorts owns and manages 25 small luxury resorts that are singularly unique in location, design and view but consistent in delivering a discreet guest experience with the highest level of service, privacy and exclusivity.
Anson Chan has over 24 years of hospitality experiences in International luxury Hotel groups. Anson joined in 2004 as the opening Manager of the Group's first Boutique Hotel, the Lanson Place Hotel, in Hong Kong. Lanson Place Hotel is the first “Small Luxury Hotel of the World” represented in Hong Kong and has won numerous International Hotel awards since its opening. Anson became the Regional General Manager for Malaysia and Hong Kong since 2011.
Just weeks after launching its first hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Best Western International – the World's Largest Hotel Chain® - has unveiled plans to open a second property in the Malaysian capital. Located in the affluent residential, commercial and entertainment district of Bangsar, in the west of Kuala Lumpur, the newly signed Bangsar project will form an integral part of the Bangsar Trade Centre complex. This six-tower commercial park is home to a vast array of office space, retail stores, a 45,000sqf convention centre and a 385,000sqf of Food & Beverage and Hospitality wholesale mall.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) announced today the opening of Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, the first Grand Hyatt hotel in Malaysia.This elegant, contemporary and luxurious hotel with 370 guestrooms and 42 suites offers business travelers, tourists and local guests a sophisticated ambience. Situated in the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) and right next to Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, the hotel is within walking distance of the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, Suria KLCC, KLCC Park, Dewan Filharmonik Petronas as well as the Golden Triangle shopping and entertainment district. The Pavilion Shopping Centre is less than a ten minute walk by the covered sky-bridge outside the hotel.
Kosmopolito Hotels International (KHI) has appointed Ramanesh Keith Nair as the general manager of Silka Johor Baru.
Best Western International (BWI) – the World's Largest Hotel Chain® – has officially launched its first hotel in Kuala Lumpur; BEST WESTERN PREMIER Dua Sentral. The recently open luxury hotel marks not only Best Western's debut in the fast-growing Malaysian capital, but also the debut of the luxury BEST WESTERN PREMIER brand in the country. The landmark property has now become Best Western's flagship hotel in Malaysia.
Hilton Worldwide today signed a management agreement with Daiman Landmark Hotel Sdn Bhd to open its third DoubleTree by Hiltonproperty in Malaysia. Scheduled to open around mid-2014, the 365-room DoubleTree by Hilton, Johor Bahru, Malaysia will be conveniently located along Jalan Ngee Heng, within the Central Business District (CBD) of Johor Bahru and adjacent to the border causeway crossing between Malaysia and Singapore.
CapitaLand’s wholly-owned serviced residence business unit, The Ascott Limited (Ascott), has won a contract to manage its first serviced residence in Iskandar, the southern gateway of Malaysia. The new 204-unit Somerset Puteri Harbour Iskandar is scheduled to open in the Nusajaya flagship economic zone in 2013. The contract is awarded by Nusajaya Consolidated Sdn Bhd, a joint venture between established Malaysian developers United Malayan Land Bhd and UEM Land Berhad.
Shangri-La’s Hotels and Resorts has recently appointed Elaine Yue as the new general manager at Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa, Penang. Yue joins Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa, Penang with a wealth of operational experience gained from working in flagship Shangri-La properties. She was also resident manager of Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur while the property was undergoing a major renovation, and through a combination of knowledge, experience and dedication, she successfully oversaw the transition and ensured that upgrading works were completed on schedule. Commenting on her new appointment, Yue said: “Being in Chiang Mai for almost three years has taught me to be more task-orientated, yet patient when dealing with staff and guests. I am very excited to be back in Penang and to be working with such an impressive team.
Succeeding Pierre Barthes as General Manager of Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur is Frank Stocek. Mr Stocek joined Mandarin Oriental in 1983 as a management trainee. He swiftly worked his way towards a number of senior management positions within the Group’s Asian portfolio, before being appointed as General Manager of Elbow Beach, Bermuda, a post he has held since 2001. An announcement will be made in due course on Mr Stocek’s successor.
Christoph joins Meritus Hotels & Resorts following his assignment with the InterContinental Hotels Group as General Manager of Holiday Inn Melaka.
Hotel occupancy levels in Malaysia rose to 70% in 2010 from 62% in 2009, with Kuala Lumpur registering growth in Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR), while other cities witnessed a decline in performance, as reported by Horwath HTL in the recently published 2011 Malaysia Hotel Operations Survey.