nazrey
October 16th, 2007, 02:07 AM
Renaissance KL to undergo RM56m facelift
By Vasantha Ganesan
October 16 2007
BusinessTimes (http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BT/Tuesday/Nation/irenais.xml/Article/)
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BT/Tuesday/Nation/irenais.xml/Article/Current_News/BT/Images/btgraph4/renai.jpg
The average room rate for Renaissance Kuala Lumpur is expected to grow eight per cent this year to RM238 per night from RM220 in 2006
ELEVEN-year-old Renaissance Kuala Lumpur Hotel will undergo a three-year US$16.7 million (RM56.2 million) facelift beginning next year.
The renovation and refurbishment, which will be done in two phases, will involve the 510-room East Wing, followed by the 400-room West Wing.
"Typically, (renovation and refurbishment) of a modern type room will cost US$17,000 (RM57,200) per room," general manager Robert Frager told Business Times.
"The main renovation will start in the second quarter of 2008 with the East Wing," Frager said, adding that the work is expected to finish by the first quarter of 2009.
The same exercise in the West Wing will begin in 2010 and be completed the following year.
"Renovations on the West Wing will roughly cost US$20,000 (RM67,400) per room," Frager said.
Renaissance Kuala Lumpur is equally owned by Hong Kong's New World Development and IGB Corp Bhd.
The hotel, which opened in June 1996, comprises two towers resting on a podium, which houses a convention centre capable of accommodating 1,000 people.
Initially, the hotel was divided into a four-star New World block and the five-star Renaissance block.
In 2004, in line with its global strategy to streamline hotel names, the New World name was dropped and the popular Renaissance name adopted.
"The Renaissance name became more popular and the company wanted to develop the name. The New World name is used more in China," he said.
Some refurbishment work has already been done to upgrade the facilities at the New World block in line with making it a five-star Renaissance.
Renaissance is part of the Marriott International Group hotel chain.
The chain, which opened its 3,000th hotel in China recently, also operates the JW Marriott, Ritz Carlton and Bulgari hotel chains.
In Malaysia, the group manages six other properties - JW Marriott Kuala Lumpur, Ritz Carlton, Marriott Putrajaya (on franchise), Renaissance Malacca, Renaissance Kota Baru and Marriott Miri.
Meanwhile, Frager said that he expects Renaissance Kuala Lumpur's average room rate (ARR) to grow by eight per cent this year to RM238 per night from RM220 in 2006.
However, average occupancy this year is expected to remain at 2006's level of 76 per cent.
Renaissance Kuala Lumpur's target market is predominantly Asians who make up 65 per cent of its guests, followed by the Middle Easterners and Europeans at 15 per cent to 18 per cent.
"Our new emerging markets are India and China," Frager said.
Seventy per cent of the hotel's guests are business travellers and the remaining 30 per cent leisure travellers.
By Vasantha Ganesan
October 16 2007
BusinessTimes (http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BT/Tuesday/Nation/irenais.xml/Article/)
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BT/Tuesday/Nation/irenais.xml/Article/Current_News/BT/Images/btgraph4/renai.jpg
The average room rate for Renaissance Kuala Lumpur is expected to grow eight per cent this year to RM238 per night from RM220 in 2006
ELEVEN-year-old Renaissance Kuala Lumpur Hotel will undergo a three-year US$16.7 million (RM56.2 million) facelift beginning next year.
The renovation and refurbishment, which will be done in two phases, will involve the 510-room East Wing, followed by the 400-room West Wing.
"Typically, (renovation and refurbishment) of a modern type room will cost US$17,000 (RM57,200) per room," general manager Robert Frager told Business Times.
"The main renovation will start in the second quarter of 2008 with the East Wing," Frager said, adding that the work is expected to finish by the first quarter of 2009.
The same exercise in the West Wing will begin in 2010 and be completed the following year.
"Renovations on the West Wing will roughly cost US$20,000 (RM67,400) per room," Frager said.
Renaissance Kuala Lumpur is equally owned by Hong Kong's New World Development and IGB Corp Bhd.
The hotel, which opened in June 1996, comprises two towers resting on a podium, which houses a convention centre capable of accommodating 1,000 people.
Initially, the hotel was divided into a four-star New World block and the five-star Renaissance block.
In 2004, in line with its global strategy to streamline hotel names, the New World name was dropped and the popular Renaissance name adopted.
"The Renaissance name became more popular and the company wanted to develop the name. The New World name is used more in China," he said.
Some refurbishment work has already been done to upgrade the facilities at the New World block in line with making it a five-star Renaissance.
Renaissance is part of the Marriott International Group hotel chain.
The chain, which opened its 3,000th hotel in China recently, also operates the JW Marriott, Ritz Carlton and Bulgari hotel chains.
In Malaysia, the group manages six other properties - JW Marriott Kuala Lumpur, Ritz Carlton, Marriott Putrajaya (on franchise), Renaissance Malacca, Renaissance Kota Baru and Marriott Miri.
Meanwhile, Frager said that he expects Renaissance Kuala Lumpur's average room rate (ARR) to grow by eight per cent this year to RM238 per night from RM220 in 2006.
However, average occupancy this year is expected to remain at 2006's level of 76 per cent.
Renaissance Kuala Lumpur's target market is predominantly Asians who make up 65 per cent of its guests, followed by the Middle Easterners and Europeans at 15 per cent to 18 per cent.
"Our new emerging markets are India and China," Frager said.
Seventy per cent of the hotel's guests are business travellers and the remaining 30 per cent leisure travellers.