Northstar

www.travelweekly-asia.com | 15 HOSPITALITY There was some excitement when the New World Petaling Jaya Hotel opened this January, it being the first New World and Rosewood Hotel Group hotel in Malaysia. Jai Krishnan, the hotel's general manager, admitted many were surprised at its location in the suburbs of Klang Valley and doubted it would succeed. "We have proven them wrong as our owners and operators realised there is a good catchment area with the many big businesses and offices nearby and the fact that we can leverage being the first such hotel in the area and also the direct connectivity with the bustling Paradigm Mall next door," added Krishnan. He said they had a good value proposition for investors, their targeted businesses and MICE market, as well as good connectivity with the urban rail transport system, With many new properties springing up not only in the capital but also in surrounding suburbs in Petaling Jaya and beyond, the market has much more options and possibilities. Outlook of the hotel industry in Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley By S. S. Yoga access to highways and relatively lesser traffic. Krishnan added that their MICE facilities was up-to- date with technology and provided customisation, and the main ballroom fits a great niche with the 1,000-pax capacity, which is mid- range compared to other options on the market. Jai Krishnan, general manager of New World Petaling Jaya Hotel S oaring over the generally flat cityscape of Petaling Jaya, the New World Petaling Jaya Hotel has been making a visual impact over the suburb's skyline. The property is owned by WCT Holdings Berhad, which owns and operates the connecting Paradigm Mall, and operated by the Rosewood Group. Opened in January 2018, the 300-room hotel will also make an impact in the MICE sector with its offerings, says general manager Jai Krishnan. The largest and premier facility for events, exhibitions and meetings is the 1,700-sqm pillarless Grand Ballroom that is located in an annex building. It is connected by bridge to the main hotel and has its own entrance, parking and a breakout area The mid-range ballroom can accommodate 1,000 guests in total and can be partitioned into smaller areas. In addition, there are eight meeting rooms of various sizes (84 to 173 sqm) each appointed in a refreshing modern styling and functionality. They emphasise natural lighting, with floor to ceiling windows and also reflective dimmers. The motif of the hotel is the wau (the Malaysian kite from the state of Kelantan), which is displayed in several areas of the hotel. Rest and Dine The hotel has three dedicated room types, which would make it easier for clients to sort out the arrangements, starting from 36 sqm for the rooms to 73 sqm for the suites, all very spacious with the latest in gadgets and technology. The Residence Club rooms offer the privilege of using the Club Lounge. The single all-day dining restaurant, the Pasar Baru, is fashioned after a traditional market and village with an extensive selection of Malaysian favourites and Western dishes. The rooftop features a 360-view of the area, and there is also PJ's Bar & Grill (the largest rooftop bar in Petaling Jaya) next to the infinity pool. If you need to burn some calories, there is also a well- equipped gym. Location wise it sits off the Federal Expressway and the North Klang Valley Expressway with close proximity to the Kelana Jaya and Glenmarie LRT train stations. THERE'S A NEW BABY ON THE BLOCK IN KLANG VALLEY New World Petaling Jaya represents first Rosewood-managed property in Malaysia. The New World Petaling Jaya As of December 2017, there are 679 hotels in the Klang Valley registered with the Tourism and Culture Ministry, compared to 613 the year before, equivalent to a 11% increase. At that time, said Yap Lip Seng, Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) CEO, they were expecting at least another 20 more to open this year. "It is not accurate to assume openings in suburbs are surpassing city centres purely because city centre investments are limited by land or space. Having said that, it does not discount suburbs that are growing as a destination itself. This is no doubt driven by increasing demand of sustainable destinations in comparison to cities with limited or stagnant growth in attractions. City centres, despite such limitations, are still recording growth, given better facilities and connectivity," explained Yap. He noted that the area in the last five to 10 years has gone with the general trends in the region, from internet connectivity to digital adoption within guest stays, but are not driving their own innovation. Yap sees a need to increase focus on the MICE market, where complete MICE solutions are still relatively weak — more so since it is a high demand market. "MICE solutions are still relatively weak – more so since it is a high demand market."

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