REGIONAL QUALITY

With soaring occupancies and no more new hotels or significant capacity increases among city properties this year, some Singapore hotels are maximising their existing capacity and upgrading the facilities already in place.

There is now a second Pan Pacific hotel in Singapore, with the conversion and extensive refurbishment of the former Negara on Claymore to Pan Pacific Orchard, aligning it with other five-star hotels in the chain. The 20-storey hotel’s renovation was completed in February.

IMPROVED FURNISHINGS
Of its 206 guestrooms, 48 are Pacific Club luxury executive suites and rooms.
These premium rooms are newly styled in a contemporary decor, with improved furnishings and fittings, and enhanced amenities.
Despite its small size, the Pan Pacific Orchard has six meeting rooms and a boardroom, and assigns experienced meeting coordinators to all events.

Offering seasonal, competitively priced packages this year, the hotel attracts many small- and medium-sized corporate meetings, product launches and dinner and dance events.

“Our size is our advantage. Companies and associations seem to prefer the more personalised service and cosy ambiance,” says Pan Pacific Orchard general manager, Linda Wee.

HOTEL CONVERSION
Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel has converted levels five and six of the hotel to La Residenza, 24 one- and two-bedroom units targeted at long-staying guests.
Opening in the last week of May, onebedroom apartments are priced from US$330 daily and two-bedrooms from US$470, inclusive of breakfast.
Although targeted mainly at senior management staff of MNCs based in Singapore for contractual stays, La Residenza will also cater to organisers of events held at Waterfront Conference Centre with longer periods of stay.

However, if the hotel is running at full occupancy, La Residenza will be opened up for overnight stays, since it is not restricted to minimum seven-night stays like serviced residences.

With the heavy demand for quality accommodation and tight hotel capacity, many end-users and owners of serviced apartments are hopeful that current regulations will be relaxed. Meanwhile,
those with both types of properties have more flexibility, such as Pan Pacific Serviced Suites, which can absorb long-staying guests from Pan Pacific Singapore.

PERSONAL ASSISTANTS
The 16-storey Pan Pacific Serviced Suites on Somerset Road opened in April. It comprises 126 units with full facilities and amenities, including lounge, meeting room, gym and spa – and personal assistants for all guests.

Daily rates for one-bedroom executive suites start at US$300, putting them in close competition with deluxe hotels. Two-bedroom suites cost US$540 upwards.

The422-room Hilton Singapore on Orchard Road has just spent US$4 million on phase two of its refurbishment programme, which focused on its 11 meeting and function rooms. The new-look rooms are set to open this month with new carpets and wallpaper, as well as upgraded lighting and sound technology.

Customer anticipation for the new facilities is high with Exxon Mobil Corporation and ABS Consulting both already booked for seminars in the new facilities. Hilton completed the phase one
refurbishment of its main ballroom in early 2007.

UPGRADED AREA
Phase three will see an upgrade of the pool area to be completed by August. The pool area will be completely remodelled with new landscaping and provide open-air function space for up to 150 people.

On Sentosa Island, the Sentosa Resort & Spa continues to attract solid MICE business after its major renovations at the end of 2006.

Although the property now features more than 1,300 sqm of meeting and convention space, it is the other parts of the hotel that have been attracting major headlines.

Recently the hotel was voted ‘Singapore’s Leading Spa Resort’ for the third consecutive year at the World Travel Awards 2007 in London, and ranked fourth in ‘The World’s Top Ten Urban Day Spas’
in a 2007 Conde Nast Traveller UK Readers’ Choice Poll.

The Cliff Restaurant at the hotel has also won several local awards, including winning three Chef’s Hats from Singapore Business Review.

NEW BRANDING
The recently rebranded 527-room Mandarin Oriental Singapore has just completed renovations to its Mandarin Rooms and Mandarin Grand Rooms, which are on the city side of the hotel.
The hotel will be booked out later this month during the prestigious 2nd CLSA Corporate Access Forum.

The Mandarin Oriental is also ideally placed for the inaugural Singapore F1 Grand Prix in September, with corporate packages expected to be released this month.
Additional reporting by Shannon Sweeney