JAKARTA, MALAYSIA—Meliá Hotels International is adding two hotels to its portfolio of properties in Malaysia, where the company began operations in 1990 with the opening of the Meliá Kuala Lumpur. The addition of the Meliá Iskandar Malaysia and Innside Iskandar Johor increases Meliá Hotels International’s footprint in Asia-Pacific to a total of 28 properties, which includes open hotels and hotels slated to open in the near future.
The hotels will form part of an urban development that includes a large shopping center with office buildings and a convention center in located in Iskandar City Square, an 8.73-acre area located in the southern state of Johor with close proximity to Singapore and less than an hour from Johor (Malaysia) and Changi (Singapore) airports.
“This project will include the first five-star hotel in Nusajaya and also the largest convention center in the state of Johor, and that makes us feel extremely positive about the project,” stated Jerome Tan, CEO Rentak Tebrau Sdn Bhd., owner of the two hotels. “We are confident that Iskandar Malaysia will be an excellent long-term investment opportunity for investors in the region.” PJM Group, a real estate development holding company based in Indonesia, is one of the shareholders of this project. Iskandar City Square in Johor Malaysia will mark the first establishment of PJM Group overseas.
The new five-star Meliá Iskandar Malaysia (450 rooms) and four-star Innside Iskandar Johor (350 rooms) will occupy two adjacent buildings, and will also provide facilities such as restaurants, a lounge, spa, fitness center and swimming pool. These amenities will be complemented by the major shopping center, the 492-sq.-ft. convention center and office buildings.
“Southeast Asia has enormous potential for the international hotel industry, especially for a company such as Meliá Hotels International, with its 30-year history on the continent, solid family business values and innovative and well-known brands,” stated Gabriel Escarrer, vice chairman and CEO of Meliá Hotels International. “The signature of the two new hotels in Malaysia further strengthens our commitment to a region in which we have quadrupled our portfolio in the past few years.”