Five years after Laguna Hospitality and Dusit International announced a joint venture to bring the Dusit Thani brand to Singapore, a projected opening date is finally in view, along with more details of the hotel’s hardware.
Speaking to TTGmice last Friday afternoon, general manager Eric Piatti revealed that Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore is on track for an opening in early-2019, with all public facilities ready for guests by then.
The five-star hotel, an extension of the renowned and exclusive Laguna National Golf and Country Club in Singapore’s east, will sport a sleek, futuristic design. There will be 198 guestrooms and suites across six levels, eight luxurious two- and three-room villas to be called Golf Chalets as well as extensive dining and recreational facilities. Guests can look forward to five F&B venues, three resort pools, three tennis courts, a fitness club and a driving range.
A 650-seat pillarless ballroom, three meeting rooms, a 20-seat boardroom and two event lawns overlooking the pristine golf courses are also confirmed for Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore.
Piatti expects the hotel to draw a mix of leisure and corporate bookings but has resisted projecting which of the two would be a dominant contributor of business.
For the leisure segment, Piatti expects the hotel to attract longer staying tourists who prefer accommodation away from the busy city centre as well as staycationers – Singapore residents in search of a local vacation.
“The east coast of Singapore is a bit of a new destination and offers visitors a different view of Singapore. Here, one gets a more local angle. You can explore East Coast Park, (the heritage enclave of) Katong and the residential districts,” he said.
For the corporate segment, he believes the hotel’s proximity to Changi Airport, Singapore Expo Convention & Exhibition Centre, Changi Business Park and the aviation hub will earn it many business travellers and business events.
While the hotel has yet to kick off its marketing efforts towards end-consumers and the trade, interest has started to emerge, in particular around business event and wedding possibilities.
