in senior management roles for Regent International Hotels , Westin Hotels and Bali Hai Hotels Tahiti . Who better than the COO to walk readers through the expansion of the 137 Pillars brand .
The 137 Pillars House is one of the smallest 5 star hotels in Chiang Mai and has to compete with some largescale luxury resorts . What are the biggest pros and cons from operating a luxury hotel of such a small size ?
The big advantage is we are purely focused on the luxury market , with little need to take care of too many segments , and it is easier to control the market mix so long as you stay true to luxury service and quality . The biggest con would be we have limitations on growth unless we expand and expansion has to be treated and weighed cautiously such as not to cannibalize one ’ s base .
The hotel is changing management from SilverNeedle to a stand-alone management company . What , if anything , will change ?
There will be a greater focus on the property and improving our services , product and events . The change will enable us to invest more in the hotel itself ( our main asset ).
What is the motivation behind expanding into a luxury brand ?
Our vision is a long term one not based on hotel commoditization - instead our roadmap is built on proven and tested traditional hospitality with a blend of technology to enable better delivery of our hospitality to our guests . So modern business methods are only used in the event the genuinely and positively improve guest service - we focus on delivery of luxury - and reduction of bureaucracy .
In early 2017 the 137 Pillars brand will open a newly built hotel ( 137 Pillars Suites & Residences ) in Bangkok .
Can you talk us through the foreseen difficulties of opening a hotel in an already saturated market for luxury hotels ?
The key challenge we face is location - we are proud of our team and the training and effort they have put into to becoming the best they can be - our Roadmap Training is into full swing and our teams in Chiang Mai and Bangkok are now ready to deliver a new level of service to our distinguished guests . The challenges of competition in Bangkok are not new - we as a luxury boutique operator must be nimble and fast - and able to , through speed and thought , to deliver a high level of differentiation to compete in a busy marketplace . That said Bangkok has seen some improvements in rates and occupancy which will support our growth .
How was the location of Sukhumvit Road Soi 39 for the 137 Pillars Suites & Residences decided on ?
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