RedDoorz has joined the midscale hotel segment with the launch of its first Sunerra Hotel in Jakarta.
Located in a business district, the 142-key property has been designed to be a “workcation” hotel, offering leisure, family and business travellers experiences rooted in local heritage, art, cuisine, and hospitality.
The launch of the Sunerra brand comes as the group looks to cater to the growing middle-class segment within its existing customer base, founder and CEO Amit Saberwal said at a virtual press briefing yesterday (June 8).
Saberwal also explained that in line with its vision to be the largest hotel company in South-east Asia, RedDoorz needs to broaden the appeal of its properties and the technology that property owners would like, hence, the multi-brand strategy.
Launched in November last year, its economy lifestyle SANS hotel has expanded to six properties in Indonesia and within two weeks will inaugurate the first in the Philippines, the heritage hotel SANS Hotel Laperal in the heart of Old Manila.
Chief marketing officer Liviu Nedef said RedDoorz, RedDoorz Plus and RedDoorz Premium hotels can be upgraded to become SANS hotels.
Nedef added that the new hotels incorporate the requirements for safety, hygiene and physical distancing – with automated check-in, capacity limits at restaurants, and contactless transactions, among others.
In assessing the market behaviour of the four countries where RedDoorz has presence – Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Singapore – Saberwal is optimistic about its biggest market, Indonesia, which he deemed is striking the right balance between public health and the economy. This synchronisation, micro-lockdown strategy as well as hygiene and safety protocols are boosting the public’s confidence to travel.
Domestic travel is doing relatively well in Indonesia, he said, with some RedDoorz hotels enjoying occupancy that’s 10 to 20 per cent above the industry average. Even the post-Ramadan occupancy is keeping up.
COO Kelvin Teo said that in the Philippines, where RedDoorz has 250 properties, there has been some easing of domestic travel restrictions in metro Manila and its surrounding cities, with the economy opening up again.
Teo also noted that 60 per cent of RedDoorz’ corporate business comes from the Philippine government, with whom they are closely cooperating with regarding hotel accreditations and changes in the travel landscape.
