Hospitality Group Expands Luxury Portfolio in UK

Singapore – September 30, 2016 – (travelindex.com) – YTL Hotels, the well-respected luxury hospitality leader with distinctive Malaysian roots, announces the expansion of its portfolio with the recent acquisition of three properties in Edinburgh, Berkshire and London, strengthening the company’s market position in the United Kingdom.

Best known globally for its award‐winning uber luxe private island getaway, Pangkor Laut Resort, that has been visited by the likes of celebrities such as Luciano Pavarotti, YTL Hotels capitalizes its strong Asian presence to ride the growing wave of regional travellers exploring destinations further afield. As the increasingly savvy holiday-maker looks for more than just a room to stay in, YTL Hotels holds true to its promise of Treasured Places, Treasured Moments with a level of quality, service and luxury that its guests have grown accustomed to.

“We have worked hard to build a brand that travellers from this region have grown to associate with best in class luxury accommodations, especially with The Gainsborough Bath Spa and Niseko Village properties that are very popular amongst Singaporean travellers,” says Dato’ Mark Yeoh, Executive Director of YTL Hotels. “With Singaporeans taking up to six trips a year and yet still feeling vacation-deprived*, we are well‐placed to offer a sense of home when Singaporeans are abroad.”

“We are continuing with our aggressive global expansion strategy to increase our offerings; underpinning our commitment to not just build or acquire properties, but to create inspired experiences for guests. As more Asians seek to disconnect from their busy lives during their sojourns, we want to have as wide a range of luxury destinations as possible to meet the needs of our discerning customers.”

The property acquisition in Edinburgh attests to YTL Hotels’ long‐standing relationship with Marriott International since 1995 through the ownership, management and future development of seven properties: Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel, Brisbane Marriott Hotel, Melbourne Marriott Hotel, The Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur, JW Marriott Kuala Lumpur, The Ritz‐Carlton Koh Samui – Thailand and the first Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Niseko Village – Japan. The Glasshouse Hotel, a part of the Marriott International’s Autograph Collection, is already an award-winning 77‐room luxury boutique hotel with a secret rooftop garden, and was once the Lady Glenorchy Church built in the mid-19th century. The iconic hotel with its unique 230-year history sits at the heart of the city centre providing easy access for business and leisure travellers.

The second acquisition, Monkey Island, is a centuries-old retreat in Bray-on‐Thames, Berkshire, that nestles on an island in the River Thames surrounded by stunning gardens and accessible only by a footbridge or boat. The village of Bray needs no introduction amongst the coterie of global gourmets, as it is possibly the only village in the world that lays claim to having four Michelin-starred restaurants and gastro-pubs. The stately retreat will be redesigned by the award‐winning New York-based Champalimaud Design, which orchestrated distinctive interior design projects for The Gainsborough Bath Spa, The Green Leaf Niseko Village, The Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur, The Carlyle in New York and The Dorchester in London, to name a few. A 10‐minute drive from Windsor and less than an hour from central London, the revitalized estate will offer the perfect setting for weddings, getaways, spa retreats or just relaxed dining by the picturesque river.

The Academy Hotel, comprising of five restored Georgian townhouses combined into one charming hotel, is centrally located in London’s West End, within a stone’s throw from The British Museum, fine restaurants, and world‐famous shopping streets. The boutique hotel will undergo a full refurbishment that is reflective of YTL Hotels’ steadfast commitment to respect the cultural and natural heritage inherent in each property it owns and operates, with exacting quality standards, service and operational excellence, as evidenced by its resorts on Gaya Island Resort, Tanjong Jara Resort in Malaysia, and Spa Village Resort at Tembok Bali.
These latest acquisitions mark YTL Hotels’ global portfolio expansion to a total of 29 assets with a footprint across Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, China, France, Spain and the United Kingdom.

About YTL Hotels
YTL Hotels owns and manages a prestigious collection of award‐winning resorts, hotels, boutique experiences and Spa Villages in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Japan, Australia, France and the UK, including Pangkor Laut Resort, voted the world’s best resort in 2003 by Condé Nast Traveller UK. The group also co‐owns the Eastern & Oriental Express luxury train.

2014 brought the launch of Kasara, a new brand of luxury accommodation offering bespoke, one‐of-a‐kind experiences in Niseko Village. In 2015, the group welcomes their latest addition, The Gainsborough Bath Spa, the only hotel in the city to be part of the Leading Hotels of the World’s collection of legendary hotels. Set in the heart of Bath, a World Heritage Site, this unique heritage gem exclusively offers the only natural thermal spa within a hotel in the United Kingdom.

With each new experience that it presents, the company strives to embrace and highlight the natural essence of culture, character and tradition of its surroundings. YTL Hotels is the hospitality arm of YTL Corporation Berhad.

Visit www.ytlhotels.com for more information.