Holiday Villa KLCC banks on medical tourism

KUALA LUMPUR: Holiday Villa Hotels and Resorts Group plans to tap the growing number of medical tourists for its latest hotel project, Holiday Villa Kuala Lumpur City Centre.

Located in Jalan Mayang in the heart of KL with a development cost of RM95 million, the 203-room Holiday Villa KLCC spans 25 storeys. The 12,000 sq ft site on which an old bungalow previously sat, was acquired in 2008 for RM30 million.

Upon completion, the 4-star hotel will be managed by the group. “We plan to complete construction by 2013,” said Datuk Azman Shah Seri Haron, the chairman of Holiday Villa Hotels and Resorts, at the project’s ground breaking ceremony yesterday.

In line with the group’s plan to attract medical tourists, the hotel will have a wellness and hydro therapy centre, disabled-friendly facilities as well as a health spa. Healthy organic food will be served.

Azman said the group will be bringing several in-house medical specialists from McGill University in Canada, who will be on call should guests need any medical consultation. The specialists will be subcontracted from local medical centres.

It is also targeting business travellers hence all rooms will feature a “bedroom and boardroom” concept. These hotel rooms can be converted to meeting rooms using a design which allows guests to fold their beds into the wall.

The 25-storey hotel is also targeted at business travellers.

Holiday Villa KLCC will feature an Executive Prima Floor which comes with private meeting rooms and lounge for business travellers, a 24-hour restaurant with Malaysian fusion al fresco dining, banquet and conference facilities for 300 persons, five meeting rooms, a business centre, gymnasium, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, wellness centre, health spa, hair salon and surau. To ensure ample parking, the hotel plans to use a seven-level mechanical carpark system.

Asman said the group is in discussions to establish five more hotels locally and abroad in the near future.

Kuala Lumpur mayor, Tan Sri Ahmad Fuad Ismail performed the ground breaking. In his speech, Ahmad congratulated the group on its efforts to leverage the influx of medical tourists.

“This hotel will appeal to the rising number of tourists to KL especially guests in business, leisure and health tourism who wish to enjoy the hotel’s wellness and health offerings within a conducive environment,” he said.

On upcoming hotel developments in the city, Ahmad Fuad said some older hotels will be demolished to make way for newer developments.

“Istana hotel will make way for a serviced apartment project while The Plaza hotel will make way for offices. We have also recently approved over 50 budget hotel proposals as well as plans for the St Regis Hotel in KL Sentral and Raffles Hotel at Pavilion KL.”

The Holiday Villa Resorts and Hotels Group has 24 years of experience in the hospitality line. Currently the group has 31 hotels and resorts in 11 countries.

The company’s best performing hotels are in Qatar, Langkawi, Paris and Subang Jaya.


This article appeared on the Property page, The Edge Financial Daily, September 23, 2011.