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New hotel openings set to push network past 40 by end of 2007. Accor
today announced three new hotels around Thailand – in
Bangkok,
Pattaya and
Chumphon – and the launch of its versatile All Seasons brand to further
strengthen its leadership position in the Kingdom.
The 260-room All Seasons Pattaya will be Accor’s third hotel in the
dynamic resort city, located in central Pattaya on the main tourist strip
between Beach Road and Second Road. The hotel is the first All Seasons in
Thailand, and second in Asia after All Seasons Legian in
Bali,
and is scheduled to open in November 2006. It will offer all day dining in
the coffee shop, swimming pool and modern Spa and Fitness Centre.
Novotel Chumphon Beach Resort & Golf adds an emerging destination to its
beach resort network in Thailand. Chumphon is half way between Bangkok and
Surat Thani and is a primary transfer point for ferries to Koh Nang Yuan,
where Accor will open an exclusive Sofitel resort in 2007.
The hotel will open with 80 rooms December 2006, doubling to 160 rooms in
2007. Novotel Chumphon will have 2 restaurants and 2 bars, one fun pub night
club, swimming pool, spa and fitness center once fully operational. An
international quality 18-hole championship golf course will surround the
resort and open with the second wing in 2007.
Grand Mercure Suites Bangkok will be the first Grand Mercure Suite hotel
in Thailand and third Grand Mercure in Bangkok. The Grand Mercure is located
on Phayathai Road a short 5 minute walk from the
Rajavitee BTS Skytrain station that connects to major shopping and
entertainment areas and the Bangkok Metro system. It is scheduled to open in
December 2007 with 165 suites, one restaurant, one bar, one fun pub night
club, swimming pool and fitness centre.
These three hotels add to Accor’s brisk development pace in Thailand
where the group has already opened three hotels in Bangkok this year – two
Ibis hotels and the Grand Sukhumvit by Sofitel in May – and fourth, Sofitel
Residence Asoke, soft opens today 1 June.
Accor Asia Pacific Managing Director Michael Issenberg said that Accor’s
development strategy was to cover the full spectrum of the market and add
hotels that were of strategic value to the network.
“What makes Accor unique is that – unlike most international hotel groups
– we don’t just concentrate on the top end of the market,” Said Mr
Issenberg. “Our development strategy extends from 5-star Sofitels and Grand
Mercures to 3 star Ibis and All Season hotels, with Novotel, Mercure and All
Seasons covering the mid-market.
“Thailand has enjoyed an exceptionally strong start of the year, with our
hotels in city and resort areas all achieving strong occupancies, and with
Thailand’s new international airport set to open and the prospect of rapid
expansion in air services to airports across the country, we believe we are
well placed to achieve a record operating year for the group in Thailand.”
“We are looking at growth in the international inbound market, but we are
also seeing substantial growth in the regional and domestic markets,
particularly in demand for economy and mid-scale accommodation.”
In August Accor will launch Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel extending
the group’s strength at key airports in the region. The hotel will join the
newly-opened
Novotel Citygate at Hong Kong’s international airport and will be
followed by the launch of Novotel Baiyun Airport Guangzhou in September.
The opening of the Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel and
Suvarnabhumi International Airport will considerably benefit Accor’s two
existing hotels in Pattaya, and will give the All Seasons – great impetus
when it opens.
Accor’s flagship resort opening in Thailand for 2006, the
250-room Sofitel Phokeetra Krabi, opens In November in time to benefit from
direct international flights to
Krabi from a
number of regional centres across Asia, making it an attractive gateway to
one of southern Thailand’s premier leisure destinations.
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