Starwood debuts Tribute Portfolio, Luxury Collection in Singapore

rajit_sukumaran_senior_vice_president_acquisition_and_development
Rajit Sukumaran

STARWOOD Hotels & Resorts has brought two new brands to Singapore parked under the Tribute Portfolio and Luxury Collection umbrellas with the signing on of Hotel Vagabond and The Duxton Club.

Tribute Portfolio, Starwood’s 10th core brand launched last year is bringing the 41-room Hotel Vagabond into its fold.

“Tribute is meant to capture the opportunities within the upper upscale space. Not many people are aware that 60 per cent of hotels in this space are unbranded and unaffiliated. Hence, Tribute allows us to take on independent, designer-led hotels, and keep them independent,” said Rajit Sukumaran, senior vice president, acquisitions and development Asia-Pacific, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, when asked why Tribute was created.

While Sukumaran feels that independent hotels already do well on their own, he feels that in order for them to grow further, they would need global distribution systems, loyalty programmes and sales channels – which Starwood offers.

In return, Starwood can offer their Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) members varied experiences and additional locations to stay in.

“Nine out of 10 of our SPG members said there would be times during their travel where they wanted to stay in a non-typical, independent hotel. Their qualm was that they were unsure about the quality, unable to obtain points and the issue of safety. We decided to solve their problem (by launching Tribute),” shared Sukumaran.

Regarding expansion plans, he expects that Tribute should “hit 100 Tribute hotels in five years, or even exceed this number should this trajectory carry on”. In Asia, soon to join Tribute is a new property in Shanghai that will open later this year.

As well, The Duxton Club will open under Starwood’s The Luxury Collection in 2017. The hotel will reside in two pre-war colonial heritage buildings – The Duxton House on Duxton Road and The Duxton Terrace on Murray Street – 200 metres apart from each other.

The Duxton House will feature 50 guestrooms in eight adjoining three-storey buildings and include an all-day dining restaurant, a bar and private cigar room. Meanwhile, The Duxton Terrace comprises 14 adjoining three- and four-storey colonial-era buildings, which will house 138 guestrooms, five F&B options, a pool, lobby bar and fitness centre. Guests will be able to enjoy full use of the facilities at both premises.

On this soon-to-open property, Sukumaran said: “The Duxton Club is opening in Tanjong Pagar, which is an up-and-coming area. Having this luxury offering there is going to sit very well with the whole expansion plan of the CBD. It’s a great location for us.”

When asked about The Luxury Collection’s expansion plans in Asia, Sukumaran said that there are three opening soon – Meishi Lake in Changsha next month, and two properties in India and Hakone, Japan, next year.

Overall, Sukumaran said: “Both Tribute and Luxury give the flexibility of not making hotels conform to hard-brand standards. (But in comparison) to Tribute, Luxury has certain service elements there, such as the presence of a concierge.”

With this, Singapore currently holds nine of Starwood’s brands – W Hotels, Four Points, Westin, Sheraton, St Regis, Le Meridien, Tribute Portfolio, The Luxury Collection, and an extended partnership with Design Hotels (which Starwood holds a majority stake in).

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