Entering its 13th year, Topotels Hotels and Resorts, a hotel management company in Indonesia, is expanding its portfolio and business model.

Speaking at a media luncheon to celebrate the anniversary, Yonto Wongso, CEO of Topotels Hotels and Resorts, said: “We are now expanding in a number of cities. The 90-room Ayola Signature Batam is planned to open this year. We also have an ongoing development in Cisarua, Puncak (near Jakarta) on seven hectares of land, with facilities ranging from glamping to 30 luxury villas.”

Other projects include Ayola-branded properties in Kediri, East Java, and Papua.

Topotels Hotels and Resorts currently operates 11 hotels in Indonesia and one in Malaysia, spanning budget to upscale categories under six brands: Ayola, Ayola Express, Ayola Signature, Odua, Renotel, and Managed by Topotels. These hotels are located in Pekanbaru (Riau), Bekasi (West Java), Mojokerto (East Java), Palembang, Dolok Sanggul (North Sumatra), Jambi, Jakarta, and Medan.

Under full white-label management (managed by Topotels), the hotel group oversees the Aruna Senggigi Resort & Convention Lombok, Ramada Encore Seminyak Bali, Ramada Meridin Johor Bahru (Malaysia), Beverly Hotel Batam, and Ivory Hotel Bandung.

In addition to managing hotels under their own brands, Topotels also operates as a third-party operator.

Yonto remarked: “The business model may be new here, (but) it is common in the US, Europe, and Australia. With the (growing trend) of international hotels expanding into the franchise model, more developers are seeking third-party operators. We see this as an opportunity.”

He added that Topotels had operated a Wyndham property and is in discussions to manage a hotel in Medan. His team is also working on collaborations with Accor, Best Western, and other franchisors to expand this business model.

When asked about the choice of second-tier destinations for most of its properties and its expansion targets in Indonesia, Yonto explained: “If you look at Indonesia, it has enormous potential for growth (outside the first-tier cities). With regional autonomy, many areas need infrastructure, accommodation, and hotels.”

He added that the presence of the Trans Java toll road has opened up greater opportunities for development in second-tier cities. Additionally, the level of competition is low, making these areas more attractive for investors to “inject their money.”

While Indonesia remains the primary focus for its development, Topotels is already expanding its presence in Malaysia, a market that Yonto sees as having significant growth potential.

“There are many developments and (opportunities) in the hotel industry in Malaysia. Moreover, they need overseas talent to work in the hotels, including from Indonesia,” he said.

He discussed ongoing projects, mentioning that the Wyndham Semporna Resort, currently under construction, will feature cottages above the sea, with 188 cottages planned for the first phase out of a total of 800. He also revealed that discussions are in progress to manage a hotel in the Bukit Bintang area.

Source: https://www.ttgasia.com/2025/03/14/topotels-grows-portfolio-in-celebration-of-13th-anniversary/