Next 'jen' hotel launched by Shangri-La
April HutchinsonShangri-La has launched the latest hotel under its youthful new brand, Hotel Jen.
Hotel Jen Tanglin Singapore comes as the result of an extensive £21.5 million makeover that has transformed the group’s Traders Hotel Singapore into the new design flagship for the Jen brand.
The redesigned hotel acts as the future template for the brand, which now numbers 10 properties across the Asia Pacific region.
Lothar Nessman, chief operations officer for Hotel Jen, said: “This is a pioneering hotel that is fast setting a new benchmark for the Hotel Jen brand. Our guests appreciate the important things done well – they demand quality, comfort and value, together with honest and authentic service.”
Hong Kong-based Shangri-La launched the brand in 2014 to capture a youthful millennial “Jeneration” of independently minded business and leisure travellers, with Hotel Jen Orchard Gateway in Singapore the first to open.
Shangri-La has since been converting many of its Traders Hotels into the new-style Hotel Jen properties, including those in Hong Kong, Brisbane, Penang, Johor Bahru, Manila, Maldives, Beijing and Shenyang.
Next on the agenda will be the first Hotel Jen in Borneo. Thought to be opening in 2018, Hotel Jen Kota Kinabalu will be in PacifiCity, an integrated shopping, entertainment and lifestyle hub along the coastal highway in Kota Kinabalu, gateway to Sabah and wider Borneo.
Designed to be different
Each of the 565 rooms in the 18-storey Hotel Jen Tanglin Singapore is designed to be different, with four wallpaper designs highlighting a common Singapore theme such as bicycles, orchids, goldfish and shop houses.
All guestrooms come with free WiFi, USB charger outlets, walk-in showers and king-sized “floating” beds with 300-thread count linen, while mobile charging stations throughout the hotels are seen as being another useful asset for “always-on” millennials.
Executive suites also include a pull-out sofa bed, a small pantry, a microwave and a SMEG fridge, while guests in Club Rooms can also avail of a Club Lounge on the 17th floor with breakfast and evening cocktails and canapes available.
The J65 restaurant serves south-east Asian cuisine, while the hotel lobby also houses Jen’s Kitchen On-the-Go – a café offering local artisan products such as locally roasted coffee; the idea is to offer an open space where guests can work and socialize with locals.
Clifford Weiner, general manager of Hotel Jen Tanglin Singapore, said: “I love the energy at the new hotel. It offers a lot of value for travellers who appreciate the ingenious details done well – stylish and comfy rooms, enthusiastic and upbeat staff, convenience and accessibility, all delivered fuss free.”
Hotel with heart
Under the Jen concept – which is being positioned as four-star – there are no formal hotel concierge staff. Instead, all staff are charged with imparting their local knowledge when guests need it.
These tips and recommendations come together under the hotel’s so-called Heart Map, which is hand-drawn in response to staff ideas. The hotel said this is a way to “ensure all team members act as ambassadors for the hotel”.
Weiner said: “Our team are local lifestyle experts catering to today’s most adventurous international traveller. They’re on hand to recommend cultural spots, local cuisines and new places to explore off the beaten track. We want to create an experience that allows guests to feel that Hotel Jen Singapore is ‘their place’ in the city.”
Hotel Jen Tanglin is also aiming to nurture local talent and become a creative event space that encourages brands to showcase their products, ranging from F&B offerings to fashion and art.
The hotel is close to Singapore’s shopping hub of Orchard Road and connected to Tanglin Mall, with a free shuttle service provided to Orchard Road, as well as weekday morning shuttles to the Central Business District.
Rates at Hotel Jen Tanglin start at SGD250 (approx. £120) per night and Club Rooms are on offer for launch from SGD299 (£140) per night until February.
April Hutchinson
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