Hilton Mulls Waldorf Astoria On Koh Samui

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Hilton mulls Waldorf on Koh Samui

BAMRUNG AMNATCHAROENRIT

THE NATION

KOH SAMUI: -- Hilton Worldwide Hotels and Resorts, operator of the Hilton hotel chain, is considering opening a five-star Waldorf Astoria on Koh Samui, after the 2015 opening of the Bangkok Waldorf Astoria.

The firm is studying the plan's potential. If it proceeds, the project will be designed in the high-end resort style, according to Ian Carter, chairman of global operations and development at Hilton Worldwide.

Thailand's - and Southeast Asia's - first Waldorf Astoria, located in the heart of Bangkok, is scheduled to open in 2015. Yesterday, Carter signed a management agreement with Magnolia Finest Corporation Co, a local property developer.

Bangkok is considered a gateway city, Carter said, as it is a centre of trade and industry, and hosts the head offices of many multinationals, creating opportunities for the hospitality business.

The planned 170-room Bangkok hotel will be part of Magnolia Finest's huge, Bt6-billion Magnolias Ratchadamri Boulevard project, which includes residential and hotel areas. The hotel alone costs Bt2.5 billion.

Bringing its luxury brand to Thailand is part of Hilton Worldwide's global policy. Currently, it has 25 Waldorf Astoria hotels in major destinations such as London, Rome, New York and Shanghai. Another is planned for Beijing. The firm plans to operate 50 locations, between 10 and 25 of them in Asia. Some nations will have more than one. Hotel sizes will vary from 180 to 280 rooms.

In Bangkok, Carter said, the hotel will target both local and international guests. Of these, 80 per cent will be international, mainly from Southeast Asia, plus China and Japan, while 20 per cent will be Thai.

On the marketing front, the firm will begin to promote the hotel six to nine months before its opening, especially at international airports. It will also promote the hotel among members of Hilton's benefit programme, which has 27 million members globally. If the firm can attract only 3-4 per cent of them, it would draw large numbers to the Waldorf Astoria here.

Hilton Worldwide manages six hotels in Thailand - Conrad Bangkok, Millennium Hilton Bangkok, Hilton Pattaya, Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa, Hilton Hua Hin Resort & Spa, and Conrad Koh Samui - and will open Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok and Double Tree by Hilton, Sukhumvit Bangkok next year.

-- The Nation 2012-03-05

[limbos]

It will be hard to top that eye sore in the South of the island, near Nathon.

[itishothere]

It will be hard to top that eye sore in the South of the island, near Nathon.

Same company behind this announcement ..... they did the Conrad. So I guess they are best placed to beat your expectations.

[sparebox2]

Samui must be the king of holiday islands.

[limbos]

It will be hard to top that eye sore in the South of the island, near Nathon.

Same company behind this announcement ..... they did the Conrad. So I guess they are best placed to beat your expectations.

It will be hard to top that eye sore in the South of the island, near Nathon.

Same company behind this announcement ..... they did the Conrad. So I guess they are best placed to beat your expectations.

Darn

[fire and ice]

No doubt it will either be located on one of Samui's crappy beaches (ie: awful sand, seaweed and rocks), or located a long way from the beach. I say this because it tends to be in Samui that the more upmarket the hotel, the worse its location - most people who book have no clue till they arrive and they aren't budgeting for repeat business. They will also no doubt charge 700 bath per hour for WiFi and a charge for a host of other things that are free in many resorts.

[Boater]

No doubt it will either be located on one of Samui's crappy beaches (ie: awful sand, seaweed and rocks), or located a long way from the beach. I say this because it tends to be in Samui that the more upmarket the hotel, the worse its location - most people who book have no clue till they arrive and they aren't budgeting for repeat business. They will also no doubt charge 700 bath per hour for WiFi and a charge for a host of other things that are free in many resorts.

i have a feeling it will be located in Choeng Mon, there is a 147 rai piece of land there that has been earmarked for a 5 star hotel for a while

[carmine]

Whilst Bangkok Airway have Samui by the knackers i doubt there will be enough planes coming in to fill all these resorts with tourists anyway.

[Rooo]

Whilst Bangkok Airway have Samui by the knackers i doubt there will be enough planes coming in to fill all these resorts with tourists anyway.

Flew in yesterday, plane packed. Most of these resorts are a smaller version, with lesser rooms then their normal counterparts. They don't have 400 to 500 rooms .

[joe84330]

No doubt it will either be located on one of Samui's crappy beaches (ie: awful sand, seaweed and rocks), or located a long way from the beach. I say this because it tends to be in Samui that the more upmarket the hotel, the worse its location - most people who book have no clue till they arrive and they aren't budgeting for repeat business. They will also no doubt charge 700 bath per hour for WiFi and a charge for a host of other things that are free in many resorts.

i have a feeling it will be located in Choeng Mon, there is a 147 rai piece of land there that has been earmarked for a 5 star hotel for a while

hasn't that already been taken by a ski slope?