Rosewood Hotels & Resorts to expand into South-east Asia

Singapore

HOTEL management company Rosewood Hotels & Resorts is making its foray into South-east Asia, with three hotels slated to open in the region later this year.

In the fourth quarter, it will be launching properties in Phnom Penh, Phuket and Luang Prabang.

Beyond 2017, it will add more hotels in Asia - namely in Hong Kong and Guangzhou, as well as properties in Siem Reap, Hoi An and Bangkok. It currently has a portfolio of 21 properties, of which two are in Asia, in Beijing and Sanya.

"We think there's tremendous potential in this region," said Margaret Yeung, vice-president of brand management and communications for Rosewood Hotels & Resorts. "The natural beauty of the region, the people and the culture make it very interesting for Rosewood to continue our expansion around the globe."

However it is important to find the right property, location and partners, which can be a challenge, she stressed. "We're not a cookie cutter brand."

Outside of Asia, the hotel chain has another 15 hotels - in markets such as Edinburgh, Vienna, Papagayo, Sao Paulo and Nassau - slated to open in the coming years.

The hotel group was established in 1979 in Dallas, Texas, and went on to build up its portfolio with properties in North America, Mexico, Europe and the Carribean.

In 2011, it was acquired by the Rosewood Hotel Group in Hong Kong (formerly New World Hospitality) for nearly US$230 million. Rosewood Hotel Group is a unit of New World Development, a Hong Kong-listed conglomerate.

Despite the competitive hotel industry, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts is banking on its positioning in the ultra-luxury segment and curated experiences for guests to bolster demand. In Phnom Penh, for instance, there are just two other hotels in the five-star segment, its management said.

"We feel we're entering the market in Phuket at the right time," said Andrew Turner, managing director of Rosewood Phuket, adding that the island receives some seven million tourists annually. "We haven't seen an ultra luxury property open in Phuket for around 13 years."

The Rosewood Phuket, which is owned by the group, will feature villas located along a 600-metre beachfront at Emerald Bay.

Rates for the different properties vary, and will cost from US$750 per night at the Rosewood Phuket, while the rooms at the Rosewood Phnom Penh will start from US$250 per night.