Putrajaya to have more hotels in next two years

By Sharen Kaur
Published in NST on July 30, 2014

PUTRAJAYA will see the unveiling of more hotels over the next two years, raising fears among the existing operators who are scrambling for business with 1,267 rooms available currently.

 The latest opening was the 382-room Everly Hotel by Putrajaya Holdings Sdn Bhd.

 The hotel is managed by the Everly Group and is linked to Alamanda Shopping Centre, the main shopping and leisure attraction in Putrajaya.

 The longest serving hotels in Putrajaya are the four-star Palm Garden Hotel that opened in 1995, the five-star Putrajaya Marriot Hotel that started operating in June 2002, while Putrajaya Shangri-La opened in 2003.

 Pullman Lakeside Putrajaya, which opened in 2008, is managed by French-based Accor group. The five-star hotel, with 281 rooms, currently enjoys 65 per cent room occupancy.

 Its general manager Christophe Keramaris said he is aware that there will be a blooming scene for the hospitality industry, with new hotels opening in Putrajaya. 

The  Mayland group, controlled by Tan Sri David Chiu, is opening the  Dorsett Putrajaya Hotel with 218 rooms later this year. 

 IOI Properties Group Bhd, which owns Palm Garden Hotel and Putrajaya Marriot, is opening Le Méridien Putrajaya next year, while the United States-based Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc will manage the 350-room five-star hotel for the property group.

 Keramaris said the new hotel openings will pose a threat to Pullman Putrajaya and other properties within the vicinity. 

“We are pushing hard on the direct-selling channel through accorhotels.com for more direct bookings to boost the occupancy. We are also collaborating with the Putrajaya Council and corporate companies from Cyberjaya to tap on their shared market,” he said in an interview.

Pullman Lakeside Putrajaya, the five-star hotel with 281 rooms, currently enjoys 65 per cent room occupancy.