Singapore's 25 largest hotels 2013

Hotels face tight competition with around 2,500 new rooms coming onstream this 2013.

Marina Bay Sands has topped Singapore Business Review’s inaugural list of largest hotels in Singapore for 2013 based on the number of rooms.

The 55-story MBS, billed as the world’s most expensive standalone casino property at more than $6 billion, has a total of 2,561 luxury rooms and suites.

MBS has its busiest MICE month ever in October as it hosts 13 tradeshows and several key conferences. “The 13 tradeshows which attracted around 46,000 delegates, is approximately four times the monthly average since Sands Expo and Convention Center opened in April 2010,” MBS said in a statement. It posted a decent revenue per available room of US$362 in 4Q12 or a 10% rise from a year ago despite occupancy rate falling by 4 percentage points to 98.4.

“Performance-wise, 2012 was a banner year - from the nearly 70 awards we won, including the Best Foreign City Hotel from Condé Nast Traveler and ‘Best Business Event Venue Experience’ from the Singapore Tourism Board, to the high occupancy rate we sustained,” said president and chief executive officer George Tanasijevich.

Swissôtel The Stamford and Mandarin Orchard Singapore took the second and third spots with 1,261 and 1,051 rooms, respectively.

Swissôtel The Stamford and sister company, Swissôtel Merchant Court Singapore implemented a smoke-free policy on March 31 last year. With 1,261 and 476 rooms respectively, the Swissôtel brand boasts the distinction of offering the most number of smoke-free hotel rooms in Singapore. “As public awareness of the dangers of second-hand smoke grows, more guests are demanding a smoke-free environment. We hope to be able to create an impact, committing all 1,737 guest rooms in both hotels to this cause,” said Aiden McAuley, Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts’ regional president for Asia-Pacific.

Rounding up the top five are Carlton Hotel Singapore and V Hotel with 915 and 888 rooms, respectively.

The 790-room Pan Pacific Singapore which was renovated between April and October 2012, came in 6th. The hotel’s general manager Scott Swank disclosed to Singapore Business Review that a total of $80 million were spent for the renovation.

“Our key challenge, which was encountered and overcome, was the retention and redeployment of our over 500 associates during our Transformation,” said Swank.

Fairmont Singapore, another hotel under the Swissôtel brand came in 7th with 769 rooms. It edged out Shangri-la Hotel by only 19 rooms.

 Shangri-la boasts of its newlyrenovated Garden Wing, billed as Singapore’s only urban resort. The Garden Wing, which houses 158 guestrooms and suites, was reopened in June 2012 after an eight month- renovation. The S$66 million renovation also includes the creation of what it bills as Singapore’s first CHI spa and a new dining concept called Waterfall Cafe, said management.

Grand Hyatt Singapore landed at 9th place with 662 rooms. The hotel introduced an innovative restaurant- 10 SCOTTS last year which features areas for a library, dining, veranda and collection room.

Orchard Hotel Singapore, ranked 10th with 656 rooms, has also undergone a full refurbishment of its 331-room Claymore Wing.

Together, the 25 largest hotels have a total of 18,468 rooms or account for nearly a third of approximately 53,000 inventory of hotel rooms expected end-2012. Singapore’s largest hotels have 739 rooms on the average.

New supply

CBRE estimates a total of 2,400 rooms entering the market in 2012, possibly resulting in a 5.8% growth in the gazetted stock. CBRE adds that a further pipeline of 2,500 rooms is expected by end 2013 and hotel projects currently in planning stage could contribute another 2,400 rooms.

Year 2013 will welcome the opening of Ramada Singapore, Carlton Project , Connexion , Holiday Inn Express, Fairy Hill Point Hotel,Aqueen Lavender Hotel , Modena Frasers Suite, Sofitel Singapore, and Aqueen Geylang Hotel.