Marriott Hotels & Resorts’ first Marquis-designated property in Asia is determined to lure larger corporate and association meetings that Bangkok has not been able to secure due to the previous lack of hotels with massive room keys and wide ranging meeting facilities under one roof.
The Marquis designation is reserved for B2B-ready properties that satisfy seven key requirements such as being in a gateway city, occupy an iconic building, are of exceptional size and offer spectacular facilities.
Speaking to TTGmice last Thursday, general manager Bob Fabiano said: “With 1,360 rooms, we are the largest hotel in Bangkok, and we have corresponding meeting spaces of over 5,000m2 (totalling 35 different function rooms). Up until we opened, a meeting planner who wanted Bangkok for their regional or global event (consuming) a 400-plus peak room count, they would have to split hotels. For most planners, that is a nightmare. As a result, most major events needing 1,000 rooms and up often go somewhere else.”
With the hotel’s sheer size and varied event spaces, Fabiano is determined to change how planners regard Bangkok, adding that the city already has many factors in its favour – such as “competitive room rates compared to other business event cities like Singapore, Hong Kong and Seoul” as well as “excellent airlift from around the world”.
The hotel is also brandishing its “vast variety of dining options for business events” as a major selling point to make “MICE our true success story”.
At its MICE media showcase last week, the hotel created a unique venue by merging Soba Factory with Goji Bar and presented an international menu featuring Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Italian dishes paired with specially crafted cocktails, and quality wines and beers.
Fabiano said the event demonstrated the “fluidity of our service” – one that allowed an eight-course dinner to be completed in two hours but at a comfortable pace, allowing guests to enjoy their food and conversation – as well as a varied culinary experience made possible by F&B talents scouted worldwide.
He added: “Hotels have an average reputation for food, especially in banqueting. We are changing that. Here, our food goes from oven to plate, and that shows in the quality of the food we serve, and the comments we have gotten from our customers.”
These attributes have led to several repeat businesses across the coming years, according to Fabiano, who also revealed that the hotel had just secured its first three-year commitment from a client whose first meeting will only take place this August.
Fabiano said the hotel has welcomed a mix of corporate meetings, association events and incentives, with group sizes ranging from 350 to 400 pax for larger events with complex venue requirements, to 100 to 120 pax for straight-forward meetings.
