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Great ideas from the independents |
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INDEPENDENT hotels count as their competitive advantage the ability to implement changes and introduce innovative services quickly as there is no bureaucracy or “standard operating procedures” of large chain hotels to contend with.
One of the newest independent hotels in Singapore is Naumi, a 40-room boutique property scheduled to open in July.
It is developed at a cost of S$28 million (US$18.5 million) and will be the first in Singapore to have a complete Cisco Unified
| | Artist impression of Naumi: room rates are expected to be between S$300 and S$350. |
Communications system that offers business travellers “complete peace of mind when sending or receiving important and confidential information via the hotel’s communication network”.
Naumi’s developer, Hind Development managing director, Mr Surya Jhunjhnuwala, said: “Business travellers, especially those from the US, are looking for this feature.
“We are positioning Naumi as a hotel where travellers can have a personal experience and yet enjoy the facilities of a world-class property,” Mr Jhunjhnuwala said.
The hotel will have an almost 1:1 ratio of staff to guest. Rooms, ranging in size between 32m2 and 83m2, are filled with designer furniture as well as top-of-the-range entertainment systems and appliances to appeal to high-end business travellers from target markets Europe, the US, Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia and India.
Each room will have an area for business meetings and can hold teleconferences. A kitchenette and wooden flooring are intended to give guests a “home away from home” feel and further differentiate this property from large hotel chains.
All this will come at a cost. Mr Jhunjhnuwala said he expects average room rates of between S$300 and S$350 and believes Naumi can achieve an average occupancy of about 70 per cent.
The 511-room Royal Plaza on Scotts, which recently emerged as a five-star business hotel after its “multimillion dollar” renovation, has also been nimble on its feet when it comes to introducing new services for business travellers.
Director of marketing and brand development, Ms Odette Huang, said: “A few years ago, we noticed more corporate accounts asking for room and Internet to be bundled together, instead of the usual room and breakfast bundle.
“The priority was changing for the corporates. It became important for them to ensure their travellers get reliable, ready access to high-speed Internet connection,” she said.
The hotel responded by providing all its guests free, unlimited access to wireless or wired broadband Internet in all rooms.
Ms Huang added: “Customers’ needs are always changing and evolving. We need to put our ears to the ground, understand their requirements and respond quickly.”
General manager, Mr Patrick Fiat, said: “As an independent hotel, we do not need to go back to the head office for approvals. That will take a long time. Instead, we can decide on something and go!”
With 85 per cent of its guests coming from the corporate sector, the hotel has also included spacious, ergonomically designed desks in its rooms, and offers complimentary beverages from the minibar and free local calls. – Mak Ying Kwan
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