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InterContinental Bangkok reaches for the stars
BANGKOK – Brian Connelly, regional general manager Bangkok for InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) , said a US$20 million refurbishment of the 10-year-old InterContinental Bangkok was necessary to compete with the new luxury properties arriving in the city.
“Not many properties would do a complete refurbishment after only 10 years but we needed to be on a level playing field with the hardware,” he said.
“There is no need for us to be the underdog. We can have pride in the product and
” we don’t need to be shy about saying so.”
The refurbishment will eventually cover all 381 guest rooms, following significant upgrades to the level four convention centre, Summer Palace restaurant and spa and fitness facilities.
“The guest rooms have been refurbished all the way back to the drapes. We only kept the telephones,” said Connolly.
“We’ve added more lighting, an Ipod station, multi-plug outlets and the new flat screen TVs have changed the dynamics of the room, giving us more space to play with.”
InterContinental Bangkok finished the year with average occupancy of about 88 percent and the prospect of a 10 percent rise in the average room rate in 2008.
“We need to be more selective in terms of our market sectors,” said Connolly. “We are likely to see the share of business from the travel trade go down and be replaced by more meetings, conventions and corporate business.”
Connolly also saw the industry’s major challenge as the number of new hotels coming up in Bangkok. “Inventory is growing at a terrific rate because there are no huge barriers to entry like there are in other Asian cities.
“I do feel, though, that there is a lot of pent-up demand for Bangkok out there. Business people have been going to Shanghai, Singapore and Hong Kong and they are paying double or triple what they would pay in Bangkok.”
Connolly says the positioning of InterContinental and the Holiday Inn adjacent to each other on Ploenchit Road has worked well. “There is no brand bleed between the two – we’ve ensured that the two brands are distinct.”
The Holiday Inn’s two 14-floor towers include 379 newly redesigned and refurbished guests rooms and new in-room facilities and services.
“Holiday Inn is changing,” said Connolly. “It’s not anymore the Holiday Inn that your dad stayed in.”
by Ian Jarrett
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