Sunny outlook for niche luxury resorts

LUXURY boutique hoteliers remain unfazed by the unfolding global economic uncertainty, and are resolute in carrying out their expansion plans.

Business performance has been good at Como Hotels and Resorts, according to its vice president of business development, Harry Apostolides, who spoke to TTG Asia e-Daily on the sidelines of Resort Development World Asia 2011.

“Our properties in the Turks & Caicos, Maldives and Bali have had credible performances so far this year,” he said. “Even our London properties, the Metropolitan and Halkin, have done well.”

Apostolides said Como would be opening a 40-room property in Niseko, Japan, alongside condominium units in 2013. This adds to the 108-room hotel already being developed in Phang Nga Bay, Phuket (TTG Asia e-Daily, January 12), scheduled for completion by 2012.

Meanwhile, Alila Hotel & Resorts COO, Guy Heywood, revealed the group was poised to double in size to 18 properties by 2015. “Some 15 projects are in the offing from 2013 onwards. Four will be in Indonesia, some will be in China with the remainder in Vietnam and the Middle East,” he said.

Heywood emphasised that even though Alila’s plans might seem ambitious at first glance, the group was keen to ensure all new properties are “true to the brand, delivering on its promises”.

“We want to grow in a controlled manner, and ensure that we expand for the right reasons,” he said.

Heywood added that plans were afoot for the group’s first spa venture in Indonesia, which will be attached to an unrelated hotel. “Alila hopes to follow Six Senses into the spa operations arena. But our future expansion plans will depend highly on how the spa actually performs,” he said.

“We anticipate that we will be highly selective on where we will set up our spa operations, but we hope that this move will help us to build our brand.”

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