Singapore's Far East Hospitality expands to Kuala Lumpur

KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 12): Far East Hospitality Holdings Pte Ltd, Singapore’s largest operator of hotels and serviced residences, has unveiled its plans to expand the Oasia brand with Malaysia a key plank of its strategy.

It plans to open three hotels and a serviced residence in Malaysia and Singapore next year, adding over 700 rooms to its growing portfolio. Far East Hospitality is the hospitality management arm of the Singapore-listed Far East Orchard Ltd.

The Oasia brand targets mid-tier travellers, and the company says Malaysia’s 25.7 million annual tourist arrivals is prospective for Oasia’s first foray outside of Singapore. The plan also takes into account the performance of midscale and economy hotels in the earlier half of 2015, which outpaced their luxury counterparts, as reported by property services firm CBRE.

CEO of Far East Hospitality Arthur Kiong announced the plans at the 2015 ITB Asia Conference at Marina Bay Sands earlier this week, noting that “the region continues to mature and attract a strong stream of international arrivals”. He added that the Oasia brand will brought to “key gateway cities in the region, kicking off with Kuala Lumpur in the first quarter of 2016”.

Citing the Asean Pulse report by the French-based research firm Ipsos which notes the “rising focus on health and well-being globally and in the region” Oasis has been providing guests a suite of wellness offerings, something which both business and leisure travellers have received well and identify the brand with.

The 247-apartment Oasia Suites Kuala Lumpur is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2016 (1Q2016). Situated adjacent to Bukit Nanas, the city’s only surviving patch  of tropical rainforest, Oasia Suites Kuala Lumpur will offer guests a retreat within the city and views of the greenery next door. Oasia Suites will be followed by two more properties in Singapore.

Oasia Hotel Downtown opens in 2Q2016 on 100, Peck Seah Street, a short distance from the central business district of Tanjong Pagar. It will house over 300 rooms and have a façade enveloped by a vertical garden. In 4Q2015, Oasia Residence will open in the island state’s West Coast region. Integrated into the Seahill residential development, it will house 140 units of full-service apartments and facilities.

Far East Hospitality owns more than 10 hotels and manages and operates a combined portfolio of more than 13,000 rooms across close to 90 hotels and serviced residences in Australia, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore.