First Eastin Hotel to land in Laos

Bangkok-based Absolute Hotel Services will debut the Eastin Hotel brand in the capital city of Laos, with the 94-key property due to open in the last quarter of 2021.

Eastin Hotel Vientiane Laos is slated to open in 2021

Eastin Hotel Vientiane Laos will feature deluxe rooms and suites, alongside facilities such as an all-day dining restaurant, a speciality restaurant, outdoor swimming pool and a gym.

Situated a short drive from the international airport, the hotel will be located on the banks of […]

End of an era as Accor Asia Pacific breaks up

Michael Issenberg, when interviewed in 2018 after Accor Asia Pacific hit the 1,000-hotel milestone, said, “We wouldn’t have had the success we’ve had if we had not invested in people to back up our strategy.”

The restructuring of Accor in what is being hailed as a new chapter in its strategic roadmap marks the end of an era for the French hotel group in Asia Pacific.

The plan to form eight geographical hubs basically dismantles the tight-knit and coherent Asia Pacific team […]

Cruise lines keep calm and carry on

Royal Caribbean International has floated out Wonder of the Seas, the world’s biggest cruise ship.

Cruise ship resumption may be paused, but cruise lines are carrying on.

Amid all the news about the industry’s historic global suspension due to the Covid-19 pandemic, cruise lines are forging ahead with new ships, upgrades and even the expansion of sales teams.

Here is some good news that has been buried amid all of the headlines about no-sail orders, operational pushbacks, health protocols and small-ship outbreaks.

Silversea’s 596-passenger […]

Desaru Coast in Malaysia shapes up as the next luxury destination, with the arrival of One&Only and Anantara

The latest string of high-end hotel openings in Desaru is a signal of the growing maturity of the Malaysian coastal destination, even as Malaysian borders currently remain closed to international travellers.

One&Only Desaru Coast’s September 6 opening marks the ultra-luxury brand’s debut in Asia, where its location, a two hours’ drive from Singapore, is expect to lure domestic as well as regional road trippers.

“One and Only Desaru Coast is designed as an idyllic escape from city life, which I think is […]

Wyndham signals growth in APAC amid pandemic

Despite Covid-19 headwinds, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts managed to sign 59 new hotels across Asia-Pacific in 1H2020, a positive year-over-year growth signalling long-term confidence in the region.

Within South-east Asia and Pacific Rim (SEAPR), the company signed 21 new hotels in 1H2020, which is more than 30 per cent year-on-year growth compared to the same period in 2019. Highlights include an expansion of Wyndham’s presence in Japan with the debut of the Wyndham Grand and Wyndham Garden brands in the country, […]

Japan’s third Hotel Indigo to rise in Karuizawa

IHG has signed a management agreement with Tokyo Century Corporation to open a Hotel Indigo property in the popular highland destination of Karuizawa come 2022.

Japan’s third Hotel Indigo to open in the popular highland destination of Karuizawa come 2022

In addition to its 155 rooms across three wings, Hotel Indigo Karuizawa will also feature meeting facilities, a spa, a gym, and dining options with a focus on local cuisine using seasonal ingredients.

The new property marks Japan’s third Hotel Indigo, following the […]