Japanese Hospitality Giant Seibu Prince Hotels Worldwide Expands Singapore
Seibu Prince Hotels & Resorts, a subsidiary of Tokyo-listed Seibu Holdings, marked their debut in Southeast Asia on September 3 with the launch of Park Regis by Prince Singapore. The 203-room hotel, located in the Clarke Quay area, was formerly known as Park Regis Singapore and underwent a extensive refurbishment and guest room refit.
The refurbished rooms now feature complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi and 50-inch smart TVs with casting capability. In addition, single-use plastics such as water bottles have been replaced with more eco-friendly options like water filters.
According to Alex Barnett, director of global brand and communications at Seibu Prince Hotels Worldwide, the hotel’s base room rates have increased after the refit and rebranding exercise. The basic nightly rate has gone up from approximately $200 per night in 2019 to $230 per night after the relaunch.
Park Regis by Prince Singapore offers four room categories, ranging from 215 sq ft to 463 sq ft, catering to both business and leisure travellers in the mid- to high-tier range. It is the first Park Regis hotel to be rebranded under the Seibu Prince brand.
Exporting Japanese hospitality
Seibu Holdings is one of Japan’s largest hospitality conglomerates, with over 50 hotels, 25 hot spring facilities, and 28 golf courses under its portfolio. President and CEO Yoshiki Kaneda says that there is a growing demand for Japanese-style hospitality in the luxury segment overseas, and the group is uniquely positioned to fulfill this demand. With over 80 years of experience in the Japanese hospitality industry, the company is well-equipped to export this type of service.
Steven Tang, general manager of Park Regis by Prince Singapore, explains that Japanese-style hospitality, known as omotenashi, is characterized by three key elements: anticipation, selflessness, and sincerity. As a result, the hotel has implemented innovative features such as digital room keys, a first for the hotel chain.
“We noticed that business travellers don’t want to wait in line at the front desk to check in,” explains Tang. With this new feature, guests can check in through the hotel’s app and proceed directly to their rooms. Other guest-centric features include an AI chatbot on the hotel’s app that can handle service requests, update guests on flight details, and provide a list of nearby attractions.
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Seibu Prince has also started sending Japanese staff overseas to train local hotel employees. For example, the group’s hotel in New York, The Prince Kitano New York, has nearly 12% of its staff members from Japan, including a team of master chefs.
Expansion of flagship brand
The relaunch of Park Regis by Prince Singapore is part of Seibu Holdings’ efforts to expand its Prince brand outside of Japan. In April, the company unified its three international subsidiaries – Seibu Prince Hotels Worldwide, StayWell Holdings, and Prince Resorts Hawaii – under one identity: Seibu Prince Hotels & Resorts.
In 2017, Seibu Holdings acquired StayWell Holdings and its portfolio of 30 hotels in seven countries for A$50 million, including the Park Regis and Leisure Inn brands. Park Regis by Prince Singapore is the first Park Regis hotel to be rebranded under the Prince name.
Kaneda states that the group will focus on expanding in Asia and Southeast Asia in the future. He adds, “We want to establish our Prince hotels in major cities like Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Jakarta.” Next year, the brand will launch in two more Southeast Asian countries, with Park Regis by Prince Menteng in Indonesia set to open in early 2025 and The Prince Akatoki Riverside Bangkok in Thailand to follow later that year.
Outside of Asia, the group opened its first property in the continental US in February. The Kitano Hotel New York, now known as The Prince Kitano New York, was relaunched following a refresh of its 150 accommodations.
Located at 66 Park Avenue in New York, near landmarks such as Grand Central Terminal, Chrysler Building, and Empire State Building, Seibu Holdings owns and operates the property. The company hopes to triple its global portfolio of over 80 hotels to 250 by 2035. “We have a vision for 100 hotels within Japan and 150 hotels internationally. That is our target,” says Kaneda.
Currently, the group operates over 50 hotels in Japan and 33 hotels outside Japan, spanning 11 countries such as China, Hawaii, Taiwan, Australia, and the UK.
