BBCC welcomes the first Canopy by Hilton in Southeast Asia

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 27): Bukit Bintang City Centre (BBCC) at the former Pudu Prison site in Kuala Lumpur will house the first Canopy by Hilton in Southeast Asia, following the signing of a sale and purchase agreement.

BBCC Development Sdn Bhd has entered into a sale and purchase agreement with Hass Holdings Sdn Bhd to facilitate the sale of a 28-storey hotel tower block to the latter for about RM290 million.

Subsequently, the hotel block will be managed by Hilton and branded as Canopy by Hilton under a hotel management agreement between Hass Holdings and Hilton.

Scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2021, the 456-key Canopy by Hilton Kuala Lumpur is the third of its kind in the world since its inception two years ago.

The first hotel under the brand is situated at Reykjavik city centre, Iceland, while the second is located at Washington DC, US, Hilton Asia & Australasia development senior vice-president Guy Philips told reporters after the signing ceremony.

"We are thrilled to launch Canopy by Hilton in Southeast Asia in the gateway city of KL," he said.

"Canopy by Hilton is a lifestyle brand positioning on the upscale level, but it is not designed to be ultra luxury as it aims to provide accessible lifestyle," he continued, adding that there are 25 hotels under this brand in the pipeline.

BBCC Development CEO Low Thiam Chin said that Canopy by Hilton will be a great addition to BBCC's portfolio of lifestyle components, living up to its tagline of "Where Life is Spectacular".

Chairman of BBCC Development and UDA Holdings Bhd Datuk Seri Mohd Shafei Abdullah added that BBCC has all the right ingredients to become the nucleus of growth for the Greater KL.

"We will achieve this by recreating an authentic urban experience and brind people back to the city to appreciate its unique heritage and cultural charm in a modern and world-class setting," he stressed.

BBCC is a joint-venture project between UDA Holdings, Eco World Development Group Bhd and the Employees Provident Fund.

Sitting on a 19.4-acre leasehold site at Jalan Hang Tuah, the mixed integrated development has an estimated total GDV of RM8.7 billion.

Besides Canopy by Hilton, phase 1 of BBCC consists of the RM1.6 billion Mitsui Shopping Park Lalaport KL, an entertainment hub comprising a 100,000 sq ft of retail space and the first-of-its-kind Zepp KL concert hall, The Stride strata office, and two blocks of serviced apartment dubbed Lucentia 1 and 2.

The components in phase 1 will be completed in 2021 while the entire development is expected to be completed by 2025.