KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 — InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has signed a management agreement with LQ Retail Sdn Bhd to open Malaysia’s first Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants in 2023.
The hotel will be located at The Exchange, the lifestyle quarter of the Tun Razak Exchange (TRX).
LQ Retail is a joint venture between Australian Securities Exchange-listed Lendlease, an international property and infrastructure group, and TRX City Sdn Bhd, the master developer of TRX.
IHG’s Southeast Asia (SEA) and Korea managing director Rajit Sukumaran said Kimpton Kuala Lumpur will reinvent a sophisticated and personalised lifestyle experience that is aligned with TRX’s profile as the capital city’s new central business district.
In a virtual briefing session with the media today, he said the Kimpton Kuala Lumpur will offer 471-rooms, as well as three food and beverage outlets, namely a rooftop bar, a restaurant and a deli-grocer cafe.
Rajit said the hotel will also feature a range of unique meeting and event spaces to cater to a wide range of activities — from small intimate gatherings to larger energetic social events.
Meanwhile, he said IHG is working on technological advancements to create future-proof products that are unique; featuring smarter experience in terms of interaction between colleagues and guests amidst shifting travel trends due to Covid-19.
“No doubt that situation is challenging due to movement restriction and closure of international borders but we believe traveling will soon be back to normal.
“We are taking the opportunity to re-think and address the current situation,” he said, adding that in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, the group is focusing on ensuring the safety of its staff and guests.
It will also focus on working with relevant authorities and stakeholders in coming out with solutions in the battle against the pandemic as well as forging partnerships to emerge as the strongest player in the hotel segment once the travel ban is lifted.
Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants now operates more than 70 hotels and 85 restaurants, bars and lounges across urban locations, resort destinations and up-and-coming markets in the United States, Canada, Europe, Caribbean and China. — Bernama
