Banyan Tree to run new Mandai eco-friendly resort by 2023

BANYAN Tree Holdings will open its first Singapore resort on a 4.6-hectare site in Mandai by 2023, the company announced early Wednesday.

The resort, which will be owned by Mandai Park Holdings (MPH) and operated by Banyan Tree, a Singapore-listed hospitality company, will be part of a new integrated nature and wildlife project in the Mandai region. It will sit on the eastern end of the precinct, where certain facilities for existing wildlife parks - including the Singapore Zoo - already exist. Those facilities will be moved for the resort.

The design and operation plans for the resort will be jointly developed by the partners, with special attention paid to environmentally sound principles. The resort will be the first full-service accommodation option for visitors to the area's parks.

The hotel will have a 400-room capacity - featuring standard and family rooms - the maximum number set out by an earlier environmental impact assessment to see how it can be built sensitively around existing vegetation.

The development will be capped at four storeys to respect existing tree canopies, be shorter than 21 metres in height and situated a minimum of 15 metres from the reservoir edge to create a buffer of retained vegetation.

"This stayover experience forms an integral part of our overall vision for the Mandai nature and wildlife precinct - to inspire guests to value and conserve biodiversity through memorable experiences," said Mike Barclay, MPH's group CEO.

Banyan Tree's executive chairman, Ho Kwon Ping, said: "Together, we hope to provide guests with a memorable stay that highlights Banyan Tree's signature hospitality experience with a green conscience."

Although Banyan Tree is a Singapore company, none of its 43 resorts across 25 countries are located in its home market.

Banyan Tree shares were up 0.8 per cent, or half a Singapore cent, at 65 Singapore cents as at 12.59pm.