Japanese Hospitality Giant Seibu Prince Hotels Worldwide Expands Singapore
Seibu Prince Hotels & Resorts, a subsidiary of Tokyo-listed Seibu Holdings, has recently made its first foray into the Southeast Asian market with the launch of Park Regis by Prince Singapore on September 3.
Located in the bustling Clarke Quay area, the 203-key hotel has undergone extensive refurbishment and is now ready to welcome guests with its brand new look and amenities. Formerly known as Park Regis Singapore, the hotel now offers complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi and 50-inch smart TVs with casting capabilities in all its guest rooms. In an effort to reduce single-use plastic waste, the hotel has also replaced items such as water bottles with more sustainable alternatives like water filters.
According to Alex Barnett, director of global brand and communications at Seibu Prince Hotels Worldwide, the hotel’s base room rates have increased as a result of the refurbishment and rebranding. The average nightly rate has gone up from approximately $200 in 2019 to $230 after the launch.
Catering to both business and leisure travellers, Park Regis by Prince Singapore offers four room categories ranging from 215 sq ft to 463 sq ft. Its mid- to high-tier range makes it an ideal choice for a comfortable and luxurious stay.
This marks the first Park Regis hotel to be rebranded under the Seibu Prince brand. Seibu Holdings, one of Japan’s largest hospitality conglomerates, operates over 50 hotels, 25 hot spring facilities, and 28 golf courses. According to Yoshiki Kaneda, president and CEO of Seibu Prince Hotels Worldwide, there is a growing demand for Japanese-style hospitality in the luxury segment overseas, and the group is well-equipped to fulfill this demand with its over 80 years of experience in the Japanese hospitality industry.
At the heart of Japanese hospitality, or omotenashi, lies three key characteristics: anticipation, selflessness, and sincerity. Steven Tang, general manager of Park Regis by Prince Singapore, believes that these values are what set Japanese hospitality apart. As a result, the hotel has implemented digital room keys, a feature unique to the hotel chain. This allows guests to skip the front desk and check-in directly through the hotel’s app. Other guest-centric features include an AI chatbot that assists with service requests and provides information on nearby attractions.
In an effort to export Japanese hospitality overseas, Seibu Prince has started sending its Japanese staff to train local hotel employees. The Prince Kitano New York, the group’s hotel in New York, boasts a team of master chefs and has a staff comprising of almost 12% Japanese employees.
The rebranding of Park Regis by Prince Singapore is part of Seibu Holdings’ plan to expand its flagship Prince brand internationally. In April, the company unified its three international subsidiaries – Seibu Prince Hotels Worldwide, StayWell Holdings, and Prince Resorts Hawaii – under a single identity: Seibu Prince Hotels & Resorts. The conglomerate acquired the Park Regis and Leisure Inn brands in 2017 through the purchase of Australian hotel operator StayWell Holdings for A$50 million. The group aims to establish its presence in the Southeast Asian market, with a focus on capital cities like Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Jakarta.
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Park Regis by Prince Menteng in Indonesia is set to open in early 2025, and The Prince Akatoki Riverside Bangkok in Thailand is scheduled for a late 2022 launch. Outside of Asia, the group opened its first property in the continental US earlier this year. Previously known as The Kitano Hotel New York, the hotel was rebranded as The Prince Kitano New York after undergoing refurbishment.
Seibu Prince Hotels & Resorts has ambitious plans to triple its global portfolio of over 80 hotels to 250 by 2035. “We have a vision for 100 hotels within Japan and 150 hotels internationally. That is our target,” says Kaneda. Currently, the group operates over 50 hotels in Japan and 33 hotels outside Japan, spanning 11 countries including China, Hawaii, Taiwan, Australia, and the UK.