UOL Group and hotel subsidiary Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG) unveiled the new Parkroyal Collection Hotels & Resorts brand on January 7, cementing their commitment towards sustainable hospitality.
Parkroyal Collection carries a strong sense of responsibility towards the environment and self with eco-friendliness, sustainability and care for overall well-being as its brand ethos.
Sitting under the new brand are Parkroyal Collection Pickering (previously Parkroyal on Pickering) and the latest addition to the family, Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay (previously Marina Mandarin).
Liam Wee Sin, group chief executive, UOL Group, explained that the brand launch comes at a time when environmental challenges are becoming more prominent and there is a growing eco-consciousness among travellers who want to do their part to protect the Earth.
Recounting the journey from when the first seed of a green hotel product was planted a decade ago with the birth of Parkroyal Collection Pickering, Liam said: “When we developed Parkroyal on Pickering – now known as Parkroyal Collection Pickering – we knew we wanted a hotel with real green attributes, not just one (filled) with lots of plants. So, we made sure it has eco-friendly operation practices, zero-energy skygardens, 200% Green Plot Ratio, and more.”
Parkroyal Collection Pickering’s green credentials have won it many awards, including being named as one of the 50 Most Influential Tall Buildings of the Last 50 Years by The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, as well as the World’s Leading Green City Hotel and Asia’s Leading Green Hotel at the World Travel Awards 2019.
“Last year, we gained full control of Marina Mandarin through the shares of Marina Centre Holdings. With UOL wholly-owning this hotel, we have the opportunity to rise above what we have done with Parkroyal Collection Pickering. While Parkroyal Collection Pickering has a lot of green on the outside, for Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay, we will bring green inside,” he added.
Embarking on a year-long progressive renovation from March 2020, Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay will be transformed into a garden-in-a-hotel, sporting many new features such as a 13m landscaped vertical wall flanked by raised planters, lush indoor gardens with birds’ nest-inspired pavilions, a skybridge across the atrium on level four to provide guests with a treetop experience, and more.
In terms of sustainability, the hotel will use UV-treated glass to allow in natural light, guestrooms will be fitted with water filters to discourage the use of disposable plastic water bottles, and premium bath amenities that are paraben- and cruelty-free will be provided to guests.
“The launch of Parkroyal Collection brand marks an important milestone in PPHG’s journey. This launch is exciting and timely because we are building on what Parkroyal Collection Pickering has achieved,” Liam said.
Liam said the group “will not stop at two”, and added that PPHG’s new CEO Choe Peng Sum has a mandate “to go out and find us more properties”.
Choe, who also addressed the audience at the launch, described the new brand as consumer-centric “with a sense of purpose and responsibility at heart” and which “demonstrates that sustainability and modern lifestyle can co-exist through conscious design and efforts”.
