A Breath of Fresh Air
For a decade, Joan Chang has reshaped the hospitality landscape with the boutique sanctuary Lloyd’s Inn. Following the recent opening of its third property, this time in Kuala Lumpur, the Ove Collection founder discusses preserving the spirit of outdoor l
For Singaporean millennials, Lloyd’s Inn serves as a signi icant cultural touchstone. Its rebrand in 2014 coincided with social trends that have come to de ine the generation, notably the bloom of the fourth wave of Singapore’s coffee culture, characterised by a surge in local, barista-run cafes. The same era also saw the rise of the photo-sharing platform Instagram and the photo-editing app VSCO, known for its distinctive, transformative ilters, that can be used to capture flatlays, #OOTDS and Insta-worthy places. The penchant for aesthetically pleasing photographs cemented Lloyd’s Inn as one of the key cultural zeitgeists of the 2010s; the boutique property channels the Kinfolk look—de ined by minimalist design elements such as clean lines, natural materials and raw inishes, and serene palettes complemented by generous daylight—that anchored the Instagram accounts of many a millennial.
But before it was a stylish boutique haven, Lloyd’s Inn, owned by Herman Chang, founder of property developer Macly Group, was a run-down budget hotel. Its transformation was spearheaded by his daughter Joan, who was at the time in her early 20s—the very age of the millennial set that the hotel catered for then. “Boutique hotels and social media were still quite new [then],” says Joan. “I saw [the revamp] as an opportunity to use my interest in design and aesthetics to change the brand and introduce something different in the market.”
Joan’s success was not without sacri ice. As a then-recent Singapore Management University graduate with a double degree in inance and marketing, she faced a pivotal decision: accept a job offer in New York or Seattle, or stay and undertake the challenge of rebranding Lloyd’s Inn. Joan chose the latter and her decision ultimately led to a number of signi icant achievements.
She did, however, encounter numerous obstacles when it came to venturing into a new territory. “I wasn’t hospitality-trained, so it was de initely new for me. I had to learn the ropes and understand the industry,” says Joan. “Another dif iculty was my [young] age.
I had to respectfully work with the team to push things forward and get things done. It was a lot about leadership and also learning from other people.”
While working on the overhaul of Lloyd’s Inn, Joan’s desire for deeper industry insight led her to take on dual responsibilities at Huttons Real Estate Group. From 2013 to 2015, she simultaneously worked as a full-time business analyst and a real estate agent, eager to expand her expertise.
Joan is no stranger to managing multiple responsibilities. “Many
people think Lloyd’s Inn is my full-time job, but it’s just 30 per cent of what I do. I also work on real estate development, which includes actively developing and running the hotels, and the marketing as well,” shares the 33-year-old, whose expansive portfolio includes overseeing both the Macly Group’s real estate ventures as director (she joined the group in 2015) and her own Ove Collection, an umbrella of brands and businesses spanning hospitality, real estate, lifestyle, and food and beverage, that she founded in 2019. Joan, also a director at the latter, shares that she expanded the Ove Collection’s portfolio by co-founding fashion and lifestyle label Good Addition as well as F&B brand Soupcup.
Speaking of real estate ventures, Lloyd’s Inn recently opened its third property, this time in Kuala Lumpur (KL). While this is the irst high-rise in the boutique hotel chain (the Singapore property stands at two storeys, while the Bali one has four), the 15-floor structure with 110 rooms maintains the aesthetic principles that characterise a Lloyd’s Inn property, featuring the hallmark outdoor showers and bathtubs alongside new elements such as retro swings.
Describing Lloyd’s Inn Kuala Lumpur as a “challenging project”, Joan says: “Our low-rise properties allow us the space for rooms with outdoor concepts and showers. With the KL property, the trouble was in integrating our brand’s look and the same style of outdoor living into a taller structure.” Its opening, she reveals, was delayed for almost eight years, partly due to construction setbacks caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
While she calls Lloyd’s Inn Bali an “oasis” that offers a holistic experience merging relaxation, dining and nature—what with its location in a corner of the Seminyak area near beaches and restaurants, and its inviting pool and in-house spa—she frames Lloyd’s Inn Kuala Lumpur as a unique urban retreat where one can experience both a city’s heartbeat and the lovely relaxed vibe of a tropical property. “In KL, we’re near good food and shops, and we’re next to The Exchange TRX (a retail and lifestyle destination in the heart of Malaysia’s capital city). Yet, when you’re in the hotel, you feel like you’re out of [the city]. The unique feature of this hotel is the outdoor living experience. It’s a slice of Bali in [Kuala Lumpur City Centre],” posits Joan, who points out that both the KL and Bali sites echo that of Lloyd’s Inn Singapore (located near Somerset), in that they all merge the dynamism of the city centre with the serenity of nature. “Location-wise, our properties speak for themselves. There are always elements of nature in every room,” she adds.
Hot on the heels of this third opening is an extension of the Lloyd’s Inn brand in Bali called Lloyd’s Inn Suites, which is currently under construction and which Joan says is “a more high-end version” of the current properties. “They’re not villas, as they’re not private houses; they’re more of private rooms with private pools,” she elaborates. “We’re looking at possibly launching it early next year.”
On the creative process behind this new project, Joan shares: “I look closely at the details of the specs and inishes to make sure that [Lloyd’s Inn Suites is] more upscale. The suites will be a little bit more expensive, as they offer a private experience. But I believe it’s something people are looking for. Our suite in Lloyd’s Inn Bali is always fully booked.” There are also plans for a new branch in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, as part of the brand’s ongoing expansion.
Reflecting on her decade-long journey, Joan says: “I like to take ownership in what I do.
[It’s ful illing to] see the vision for my projects being executed and brought to life. Seeing my ideas materialise is quite satisfying.”