Extreme hotel makeover

THE Sunway Group is almost always on top of the game when it comes to enhancing hospitality services to meet the world’s ever-changing trends. 
In February, the group opened the new Sunway Pyramid Hotel West located within the integrated development of Sunway Resort City, its brand new four-star hotel with a gross development cost of RM380 million . However, the transformation doesn’t end there.
The group recently announced the full closure of the well-known Sunway Pyramid Tower East for a complete makeover, with a Hard Hat Zone event to kick start the renovations. 
Formerly known as Pyramid Tower Hotel, the Sunway Pyramid Hotel East was established in July 2004, and is located next to the iconic Sunway Hotel Resorts & Spa. 
Speaking at the Hard Hat Zone event, Albert Cheong, the group general manager of Sunway Hotels & Resorts, said: “Reinvention and innovation of our businesses has always been among the core principles of the Sunway Group, and we are pleased to continue developing the type of engaging products and services that our guests and business partners have come to anticipate and expect.
“The hospitality division has drawn on substantive data and consumer insights for the preparation of the refurbishment and upgrading programmes.” 
The Sunway Pyramid Hotel East will undergo a 10-month closure for total refurbishment works, with a budget of RM125 million.
The hotel is expected to reopen in the first quarter of 2017, after being upgraded from a superior to a deluxe category four-star international-class hotel, with improvements in the areas of technology, hospitality and conceptual design. 
Locals and tourists alike can expect to see the addition of 22 new rooms with larger floor space. According to Cheong, the new family rooms and suites will cater to larger families who travel.
The family room will be able to accommodate four people, with one king-sized bed and one bunk bed, whereas the family suite is able to fit seven people with two queen-sized beds, one king-sized bed and two bathrooms. 
On top of that, each guest room and suite will incorporate improvements in technology with:
» complimentary Wi-Fi and wired broadband internet access;
» smart lighting;
» bedside USB charger outlets;
» LED Smart TV with satellite news;
» sports and movie channels;
» flexible workspaces;
» high pressure walk-in shower;
» larger closet space; ­
» in-room electric safe box; and
» a minibar with coffee and tea making facilities.
In terms of the interior design, Sunway Design Sdn Bhd has come up with concepts for the new hotel derived from months of customer focus groups, data insights and design simulations that are intended to bring about a more welcoming environment for visitors.
The transformation will include a refreshing new colour palette to match feature wall panels that contain a blend of organic- and technology-based items.
Expect to see a complete transformation in the hotel’s driveway, main lobby, food and beverage kiosk areas, lift landings, guest floor corridors, guest rooms, bathrooms and other key spaces.
Meanwhile, Sunway Group also announced an investment of RM875 million to facilitate its three-year redevelopment and expansion plans.
Some RM530 million will be allocated to new investment assets, and RM345 million for the refurbishment and expansion of existing hospitality assets in Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam which includes Sunway Velocity Hotel, Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa, Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre, The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat, Sunway Hotel Phnom Penh, and Sunway Hotel Hanoi.
“This substantial reinvestment is the largest expansion plan for the Sunway Group’s hospitality division in recent years,” said Sarena Cheah, the group’s property division managing director, during the Hard Hat Zone event.
“We are looking to support the region’s increasingly robust business exchange, corporate travel and leisure tourist markets.”