Movenpick Hotel in Malaysia set for 2014 opening

DUBAI: Movenpick Hotels & Resorts has signed a management agreement to operate the Movenpick Hotel & Convention Centre KLIA in Malaysia, which is scheduled to open in early 2014.

The property is located near the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and F1 Sepang International Circuit outside Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur.

The 333-room upscale hotel will form part of a larger six-hectare development that includes a world-class convention and exhibition centre.

Datuk Ismee Ismail, group managing director/chief executive of owning company Lembaga Tabung Haji, said the project would also feature a haj complex.

"We've teamed up with Movenpick Hotels & Resorts as it has extensive experience hosting pilgrims in the Middle East as well as meeting corporate travellers' needs all year round.

"We're proud to bring such a renowned hotel company to Malaysia and this reflects the confidence of Movenpick Hotels & Resorts to collaborate with Lembaga Tabung Haji," he said in a statement.

Andreas Mattmuller, chief operating officer for Movenpick Hotels & Resorts, Middle East and Asia, said the property illustrated its commitment to the Asian market and, in particular Malaysia, a key gateway destination for South-East Asia.

"We're excited about this landmark project which will appeal to business, religious and leisure travellers," he said.

The 26,000-sq metre Convention and Exhibition Centre will be an important business draw, featuring a 1,330 sq m column-free ballroom, exhibition hall, multi-function rooms and boardrooms.

The hotel's 333 rooms will span nine floors with room sizes ranging from 30.5 sq m for standard rooms, up to 203 sq m for the royal suite.

The hotel's design will incorporate modern architectural elements with archways, courtyards and large atriums, intertwined with landscaped gardens and water features, and conform to sustainable build and operating practices in order to meet Green Globe standards.

Movenpick Hotels & Resorts, an upscale hotel management company with over 12,000 employees, is represented in 28 countries with over 90 hotels existing or under construction.

Of Swiss origin, the hotel group is owned by Movenpick Holding (66.7%) and the Kingdom Group (33.3%). — Bernama