Akaryn debuts ‘unique touch’ overseas
Akaryn Hotel Group is expanding overseas for the first time with the launch of two hotels in Bali, Indonesia and Hoi An, Vietnam to officially open next year.
Anchalika Kijkanakorn, the group’s founder and managing director, said the expansion is in the form of a hotel management agreement that will have Akaryn manage the properties for owners in Indonesia and Vietnam.
“The owners are interested in having a hotel with a unique touch from Akaryn Hotel Group, which specialises in leisure and lifestyle accommodation management,” she said.
Aleenta Retreat Bali will focus on health and wellness, inspired by the Aleenta brand in Phuket and Hua Hin.
The property, located on a jungle hill an hour drive from Ubud town, is available with 50 rooms and equipped with an Ayurah wellness centre.
Akyra Hoi An is a waterfront resort in the ancient port town designated by Unesco as a World Heritage
Site. The property at An Bang beach features 110 rooms and 35 pool villas.
Tourists can enjoy cultural exploration and tropical relaxation while staying at Akyra Hoi An, Ms Anchalika said.
More hotels are planned for Bali and somewhere in Vietnam soon, in addition to management deals for hotels in Thailand, she said.
“We would like to expand our brand to popular places such as Pattaya or Samui before we fully expand into other international markets, including other countries in Southeast Asia, namely Malaysia and the Philippines,” she said.
Akaryn Hotel Group operates six hotels in Thailand. Three are its own hotels, namely Aleenta Phuket-Phang Nga, Aleenta Hua Hin-Pranburi and Akyra Beach Club Phuket.
The other three are properties under management contracts: Akyra Manor Chiang Mai, Akyra Thonglor and Akyra Sukhumvit 20.
Two more properties will come under management deals by 2021 under Akaryn Hotel Group in Bangkok and Chiang Mai.
The group reported a strong first half with an occupancy rate in the range of 70-90% for its six hotels.
For the rest of the year, Akaryn Hotel Group will try to penetrate new markets to help maintain positive momentum and offset declining custom from the China and Russia markets.
Focus markets are Australia, the US and Malaysia, as well as Central Europe.
“The tourism industry is changing quite fast and we, as a hotel operator, have to catch up quickly,” Ms Anchalika said. “It’s not about tall buildings with a lot of rooms that look exactly the same to one another anymore. Tourists seek more novel experiences.”