The Boardroom: floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the city skyline and a pool at Dorsett AMTD Singapore. Photo Credit: Dorsett AMTD Singapore
Serviced apartments are entering the business events segment as the
lines between asset classes are blurring. Increasingly, they are housing
guests who are staying with them on a transient basis. Venues such as
The Ascott Limited, and Dao by Dorsett AMTD Singapore have noticed
this trend. They share their observations and plans with M&C Asia.
Dao by Dorsett AMTD Singapore
At Dao by Dorsett AMTD Singapore, collaborative spaces have been
incorporated within the premise - from utilising dining locations to
dedicated meeting spaces for intimate meetings and larger gatherings.
In fact, we’ve observed an uptick of concise higher-level meetings. The demand for formal meetings to be conducted in a semi-formal venue is growing, as organisers and attendees are eager to depart from the traditional concept of meetings within four walls.
Roy Liang, GM and VP of operations, Dao by Dorsett AMTD Singapore
Said Liang: “Here at Dao by Dorsett AMTD Singapore, they may take a
refreshing break by the poolside and have lunch in between the meeting
sessions at Collective, our in-house restaurant, which is just a stone's
throw away from the meeting venue.”
The venue has also linked up with new partners to showcase the best
of the locale that it serves, beyond the Dorsett family. Among the
partners are Omnifoods, which creates a plant-friendly menu for the
property's in-house restaurant, Collective, and Singapore’s first
fully-fledged distillery, Brass Lion Distillery.
Dao by Dorsett AMTD is in the CBD and provides the latest technology
to support hybrid meetings, helmed by a dedicated team of on-site staff.
Additionally, guests can custom-fit meeting packages, and enjoy unique art pieces curated by Wasuka Art.
Dedicated meeting team
The Boardroom is suitable for smaller meetings which fits up to 12
pax, while larger corporate or social events can be held at Gather which
is located on the expansive pool deck with views overlooking the
infinity pool and the city skyline. Hosting up to 70 pax, the space
offers on-site chef services and canapes prepared by the team at
Collective.
Breakfast meetings serve buffet spreads, and international cuisine is
available for lunch or dinner at Collective. A bar is in an enclave off
the main lobby, doubling up as an aperitif spot, or post-dinner night
cap venue.
Working close together
Said Liang: “We are establishing a collaborative partnership with our
sister property, Dorsett Singapore, located just right above the Outram
Park MRT station. While Dorsett Singapore does not own meeting spaces,
they do assist in referring clients who are in need of such facilities
to us.”
Dao by Dorsett AMTD recently launched its first Wellness Suite –
Present by OSIM for guests to enjoy best-in-class lifestyle products in
the suite and pamper themselves from head to toe. To further enhance the
stay experience, other OSIM products such as portable massagers and air
purifiers are available for loan from the Wellness Sanctuary via the
Dao app.
The future
“The fusion of business meetings with certain leisure touchpoints
allows for higher engagement levels and it appears to be a prominent
direction in 2024 and beyond. We anticipate that serviced apartments, or
for us, the aparthotel, will increasingly focus on providing
work-friendly environments for 'bleisure' travellers and will introduce
enhanced work-and-stay packages to appeal to the increasingly refined
traveller,” said Liang.
The Ascott Limited
The Ascott Gurney Penang’s ballroom seats up to 900 pax. Photo Credit: The Ascott LimitedOver at The Ascott Limited, Tan Bee Leng, MD, Brand & Marketing,
The Ascott Limited, said: “More and more guests are choosing to stay on a
transient-basis with us in serviced apartments, as that mainstream
alternative to hotels. With long stays getting shorter, and short stays
getting longer, we are in the prefect sweet spot to cater for varying
lengths of stay.”
The company is expanding its reach into the transient space where
demand for Ascott’s properties is growing from both corporate short stay
and leisure segments. Hence, there is also the added opportunity of
growing its F&B and business events business.
As we enter this space, our flex-hybrid concept with hotel-in-residence model enables us to tap into these opportunities and elevate the stay experience with a wide range of hotel services and amenities, catering to varying lengths of stays and more customer segments.
The Ascott Limited MD, Brand & Marketing, Tan Bee Leng
In properties such as Ascott Gurney Penang, a ballroom seats up to
900 pax, theatre-style. Somerset Pattaya is suitable for management
retreats with its meeting rooms, while Oakwood Premier Melbourne’s
ballroom caters for cocktails of up to 200 pax.
“As we evolve from a business model that was previously focused
mainly on accommodation, we will broaden our position as a hospitality
provider, and curate more holistic experiences for our guests beyond the
guest rooms, diversifying our revenue streams at the same time,” added
Tan.