citizenM is expanding its footprint in Asia with the completion of a new hotel in Kuala Lumpur in 2018– this is the group’s debut in South-east Asia and its third in the region.
Allan Yip (VP Marketing, Distribution and Brands, Artyzen Hospitality Group) said, “Artyzen Hospitality Group is facilitating the expansion in Asia and has targeted all key gateway cities in the region.
“We’d ideally like to target Singapore, Hong Kong, Beijing, Bangkok, Jakarta, Seoul, Tokyo and Osaka next as well as building depth in existing markets.”
The signing for the Kuala Lumpur property was announced by Artyzen Hospitality Group (AHG) and Pinnacle Supreme Sdn Bhd (a member of Cornerstone Partners Group), and commemorated in Singapore by Robin Chadha (global CMO, citizenM) last week.
The 198-key property will be located in the shopping and entertainment district of Bukit Bintang. It will be the third citizenM hotel in Asia, alongside citizenM Taipei Northgate (opening Q2, 2017) and citizenM Shanghai Hongqiao (opening Q1, 2018).
A rendering of the soon-to-be opened citizenM in Kuala Lumpur
It is part of Artyzen’s greater ambitions to strengthen its global profile, following citizenM’s success in Europe and the USA. Launched in 2008, citizenM aimed to create a breed of budget hotel, without sacrificing the amenities required of the modern-day mobile traveller.
The Kuala Lumpur hotel will bear many similar features to its European counterparts, with its signature focus on affordable luxury and modern technology. A 24/7 canteenM stands in place of the traditional mini-bar. Guests enjoy free wifi access, on-demand movies, instant check-in, and an iPad to control various room features.
The key difference, says Chadha, lies in how citizenM will style its “iiving room lobby concept” and its rooms. “Each property, no matter where it is, gets its own local ‘look and feel’ when we do the styling of our living rooms. Also the art piece that will be showcased permanently on the facade is always from a local artist.”
The hotel group discards unnecessary aspects of traditional hotels like the reception, concierge and staff, in favour of self-service facilities. While contact with staff is kept to a minimum, a few trained citizenM ‘ambassadors’ can help with any immediate needs or recommendation requests.
Eliminating these frills tempers the price point (which is kept uniform across all rooms) – a major draw for the increasingly self-sufficient traveller.
“citizenM is a brand which never stands still. We truly believe in our concept and a main part of it is “listen to our customers”. We dedicated our hotel to the modern traveller. Modernity means staying on top, so we always try to stay ahead and listen carefully to our customers needs,” said Chadha.
