IHG to Debut Kimpton Brand in Malaysia

Skift

5 hours ago

The Singapore Tourism Board said there were 1.37 million tourist arrivals in May, up 7.6% year-over-year. That brings the year-to-date total to 7.09 million visitors, up 2.3% in the first five months of the year versus those same five months in 2024. China retained its position as the top source market from January to May, but still only at 91.2% of 2019 levels. The top five source markets in May were China, with 242,010; Indonesia, with 197,800; and India, with 154,400. Of the 7.09 million visitors in the first five months of 2025, 73.6%, or 5.22 million, were the important overnight visitors. That represents 87.9% of that result in 2019. The World Travel & Tourism Council is predicting a record-breaking year for Singapore's international arrivals, potentially reaching almost 16 million visitors. That would be up 9.6% over 2019.
IHG Hotels & Resorts announced it will debut its luxury lifestyle brand, Kimpton, in Malaysia with the opening of Kimpton Naluria Kuala Lumpur in Q4 2025. The new landmark will be within the Tun Razak Exchange, Malaysia's first international financial district and Kuala Lumpur's Central Business District. The hotel will span 46 stories and will have 466 rooms. There will be four dining venues, including Four Siblings, a destination rooftop bar & lounge, and a retro Italian-American restaurant, which it will soon reveal details on. The other venue, Tuai + Till, will be an all-day dining concept that begins with breakfast and transitions into two distinctive experiences: Tuai, a cozy Malaysian café, and Till, an elegant Western brasserie. There will be five flexible event spaces.
Marriott International's Autograph Collection brand announced its debut in South Asia with the opening of The Soaltee Kathmandu, Autograph Collection in Nepal. This will be Marriott Bonvoy's 19th brand in the South Asia region, which includes India, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. The Soaltee Kathmandu, Autograph Collection includes 285 rooms, including suites, each narrating a unique story, a hallmark of Autograph Collection hotels. The hotel features 'The Storyteller', a curated installation woven into the hotel's public spaces. Amenities include restaurants from all-day dining to Awadhi-Indian specialties, Chinese cuisine, Patio's open-air dining, the Rodi Bar, and the Sports Lounge. The hotel is also equipped with a spa, outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts, a 24-hour fitness center, and 25,000 square feet of versatile indoor and outdoor banqueting space.
M/S Gatik & Deetya Resorts & Spa LLC announced the grand opening of Wyndham Garden Jim Corbett Chhoi, developed under a franchise agreement with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. The resort is located in the tranquil village of Chhoi near Ramnagar in India. The hotel is 15 km from the Amdanda Gate, which is the main entrance to Jim Corbett National Park's Bijrani Zone. The Wyndham Garden Jim Corbett Chhoi features 44 contemporary guest rooms, an all-day dining restaurant, a bar lounge, banquet halls, meeting rooms, a health club and spa, as well as an outdoor swimming pool. The resort is designed to provide a serene yet premium experience for all types of travelers.
Shangri-La Group has launched a new luxury brand, Shangri-La Signatures, with the opening of The Silk Lakehouse, Shangri-La Hangzhou. The hotel is located on the shores of West Lake, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The brand represents each property as a private residence and includes collaborations with designers and artisans, offering experiences related to art, wellness, food, and local culture. The Silk Lakehouse takes its concept from the home of a Jiangnan silk merchant. The lobby contains a crystal art installation made of 1,930 Murano glass pieces that resemble willow branches. The hotel stands on the site of the former Xiling Hotel. The Shangri-La hotel has 68 rooms and suites with views of the lake or gardens. Each guest is assigned a host who arranges cultural activities such as tea ceremonies, incense making, silk weaving, fan making, and other local crafts. Wellness offerings include an indoor pool, yoga, Tai Chi, and in-room exercises. Dining venues include The Living Room by Alan Yu with Western cuisine; Golden Silk with food from Hangzhou, Wenzhou, Ningbo, and Taizhou; Tea House with regional teas; and The Living Room by SANYOU, with drinks using baijiu and other local spirits.
EVT Hotels & Resorts announced that the existing 152-room Rydges Lakeside Queenstown hotel will be transformed into the 221-room QT Queenstown in the popular South Island City in New Zealand. When complete in 2027, the majority of QT Queenstown's rooms will feature guest balconies overlooking Lake Wakatipu, as well as elevated conferencing and events facilities, dining, gym, and pool facilities. The hotel is located on the shores of Lake Wakatipu. The current 69-room QT Queenstown will remain open throughout the upgrade, with the new QT rooms to become available in stages throughout 2026, with the project due to be completed in mid-2027.
The Watsons Bay Hotel on the shores of Sydney Harbour in Australia is undertaking a multi-million dollar renovation to its top and mid decks to transform its event facilities. During the $3 million worth of renovations, Watsons Bay Hotel's Beach Club, upstairs Sunset Room, Front Bar, and accommodations will remain open. The hotel is owned by Laundy Hotels. The renovations are expected to be completed in October 2025, ahead of Sydney's summer.
The centerpiece of the Cabra-Vale Diggers Club redevelopment in NSW, Australia, is the Novotel hotel. The eight-story hotel will house 140 rooms, a rooftop swimming pool, and a gym when it opens its doors in November. The transformed club will also have an Italian trattoria and steakhouse by chef Dany Karam and District 8 serving Asian cuisine. The redevelopment coincides with the club's 100th anniversary. Signature Hotel Management Group will manage the Accor-branded mid-range hotel when it opens.
Namhae County in South Korea announced that construction of the Sol Beach Namhae Hotel and Resort, a major private investment project led by Daemyung Sono Group, is nearly complete and set to open on July 5th. The project started full-scale construction in 2023 and was 98% complete at the end of May. The resort includes a 451-room hotel and facilities such as an infinity pool, banquet hall, year-round ice rink, and various dining and leisure spaces.