AccorHotels launches Pullman Bangkok Grande Sukhumvit

Source: AccorHotels.

The Pullman brand continues its expansion in Asia Pacific with the signing of the Pullman Bangkok Grande Sukhumvit. The former Grand Millennium Sukhumvit Bangkok will rebrand to become the third Pullman in the ‘City of Angels’ and adds 325 rooms to the upscale hotel brand.

“The Pullman Bangkok Grande Sukhumvit is a terrific addition to the network, providing stylish, upscale accommodation designed for today’s sophisticated traveller,” said Michael Issenberg, Chairman and CEO AccorHotels Asia Pacific. “The hotel boasts an unbeatable location, outstanding meeting facilities and modern restaurants that make it popular not only with guests but with Bangkok locals.

“Bangkok holds a special place in the history of the Pullman brand as we opened our first Pullman there – the Pullman Bangkok King Power back in 2008. To add our third Pullman in Bangkok – at a time when the brand has over 55 hotels in the region - is testament to how well the brand has been embraced by travellers and owners alike over the years.”

The hotel features a sail-shaped glass façade, a range of room styles from deluxe rooms to executive suites and a presidential suite as well as two restaurants, a deli lounge, a cocktail bar, outdoor pool, gym and spa. Ten meeting rooms including a pillarless grand ballroom for up to 500 guests offer varied possibilities for functions.

Sukhumvit is one of Bangkok’s most famous streets and also the longest road in Thailand. The Pullman’s position at Asoke (Soi 21) puts it right in the centre of the action. It is moments from Asoke BTS, Sukhumvit MRT and the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, making it perfect for business travellers.

The announcement comes just days after AccorHotels rebranded the Prince Hotel & Residence to Pullman Kuala Lumpur City Centre. Pullman has a strong pipeline of over 40 hotels in the next few years in Asia Pacific and will continue to expand aggressively, the company said. Pullman is now the largest five-star hotel brand in Australia and the fastest-growing AccorHotels brand in China.

Accor announces 600th hotel in Asia Pacific

Accor has announced its 600th hotel in Asia Pacific with the signing of the landmark Park Lane hotel in Hong Kong to the group’s upscale Pullman brand. The rebranding of the Park Lane Hotel to Pullman is doubly significant because it is the brand’s 50th hotel in the region, representing enormous growth since Pullman Hotels debuted in late 2007. The announcement comes as The Park Lane celebrates it 40th anniversary, and signifies a new era for the hotel. 

Source: Accor. The Riva deck bar at the Park Lane Hong Kong.

The fact that Accor’s 600th hotel is part of the Pullman family is a great symbol of Accor’s future growth in the region, with the group increasingly focused on expansion in the upscale and luxury sector. The group’s first hotel in Asia Pacific – the Novotel Orchid Singapore – opened in 1982. It took Accor 14 years to reach more than 100 hotels in Asia Pacific but from 1997 to 2007 the network tripled in size to over 300. Showing its strong focus on the region, Accor then doubled that network to 600, achieving in just six years what had previously taken 25 years.

Development has now reached record levels, with an average of one Accor hotel opening per week in Asia Pacific. This growth will continue to climb exponentially alongside the growing middle class in the region which is fuelling demand for quality, globally-branded hotel accommodation.

"The addition of The Park Lane Hong Kong to the Pullman brand is a huge milestone for Accor because it brings us a strategic hotel in the centre of one of the world’s most important business and tourism hubs at a time when Pullman is really affirming itself as one of the most exciting hotel brands in the region," said Michael Issenberg, Chairman and CEO of Accor Asia Pacific. 

"The fact that it becomes our 600th hotel in the region is further cause for celebration because it is testament to Accor’s strong growth in the region and our investment in Pullman as a brand of the future. The Park Lane’s relaunch on 1 January 2015 will, I am sure, signify a very strong year for the Pullman brand, with more than 40 more Pullman hotels in the pipeline across the region for the new few years."

The Park Lane in Causeway Bay offers 826 rooms, three restaurants and bars plus 14 meeting rooms with a total of 10,371 sq ft of event space. While the hotel is very well maintained, a full renovation programme has begun to bring it to Pullman’s global standards which will include a makeover of the Park Lane Suites, executive floors, dining outlets, meeting rooms and executive lounge. Renovations are phased to avoid disruption to guests and the hotel will remain open throughout. 

"We are very excited to join the Accor family and the Pullman brand and believe this will open The Park Lane hotel to greater distribution channels and more guests from across the globe," said Luc Bollen, Regional Director Park Lane Hotels International. "Pullman is the perfect brand for The Park Lane because it appeals to today’s cosmopolitan and connected traveller looking for upscale services and excellent business and meeting facilities. Our owners, Victoria Park Hotels, are spending HK$200 million in the next two years to rejuvenate the hotel and we look forward to this new journey after celebrating 40 successful years in business."

In just over seven years since its launch, Pullman has become one of the most dynamic upscale hotel brands in the region, establishing itself as the largest five-star hotel brand in Australia and Accor’s fastest-growing brand in Greater China. The Pullman brand aims to set new benchmarks in upscale accommodation, with a network of 80 hotels across 23 countries and five continents. Pullman hotels typically offer tailored services, innovative technologies and a new approach to organising meetings. 

Accor relocates luxury and upscale team to Singapore to focus on Asia Pacific

Accor has moved its Global Luxury and Upscale marketing operations from Paris to Singapore in a move that signals the growing importance of Asia Pacific in these segments. Asian consumers now account for almost half of global luxury sales, the company said. The implications for MICE organisers are that events in this part of the world may have to be of a certain standard to satisfy participants from this part of the world.

“Asian travellers are very demanding and the standard of hotels in this region is very high. We believe that Asia right now is a hub of creativity, innovation and transformation and that this environment provides the perfect breeding ground for us to take our luxury and upscale brands to the next level,“ says Rick Harvey Lam, Senior Vice President Global Marketing, Accor Luxury and Upscale Brands, who recently relocated from Paris to Singapore.

Accor believes that Asia will replace North-America and Europe as the key market for travel in future, especially in the upmarket and luxury segments. And while China and India are leading the way, other markets such as Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines also have a growing affluent middle class with increasing disposable incomes, Accor said. Accor has luxury and upscale hotels in all these regions and will continue to grow its high-end footprint in all these countries.

"Over the past decade Asia Pacific’s economic development has been remarkable and as travellers become more affluent, their desire to travel and explore the world grows, making this region the fastest growing luxury market in the world,” says Michael Issenberg, Chairman and CEO Accor Asia Pacific. “We currently have more than 170 luxury / uspscale hotels with over 37,000 rooms in the region, plus over 70 luxury and upscale hotels under development. This means that Accor will open, on average, a new luxury and upscale hotel in Asia Pacific every month for the next five years.

“With Sofitel celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Accor has a long history in luxury and upscale hotels and our credentials in this segment continue to grow with our expanding pipeline in this sector, including more than 30 Pullman hotels in China alone,” he said.

The move of the Luxury and Upscale Global Marketing team to Asia follows a restructuring of Accor’s business model around geographical lines, with all its brands now divided into three segments: Luxury and Upscale; Midscale; and Economy/Budget. The Luxury and Upscale segments include Accor’s Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Grand Mercure and The Sebel brands. China hosts 19 Sofitel and 15 Pullman hotels, making it the number one market for these brands outside of Europe.

With its central location, excellent infrastructure and business-friendly climate, Singapore is an ideal hub from which to manage Accor’s growth in the region, and brings the company’s leadership closer to more of Accor’s core luxury and upscale markets.

Source: Accor. Artist's rendition of the Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour.

As one of the world’s largest and oldest operators of luxury hotels, Accor aims to make its Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Grand Mercure and The Sebel brands the reference point for discerning travellers throughout the Asia Pacific region and globally. In recent months Accor has celebrated the successful launch of several high-end hotels across Asia Pacific, including Sofitel So Singapore, Pullman Shanghai South, and the signing of Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour at the Sydney International Convention Centre.