IHG Hotels & Resorts announced the signing of Kimpton Hua Hin Resort in collaboration with long-standing partner Asset World Corporation, Thailand’s leading integrated lifestyle real-estate group.
Opening in 2024, the 124-room resort will be the fourth Kimpton hotel in the Kingdom. Part of IHG’s Luxury & Lifestyle portfolio, the Kimpton brand’s popularity and growth in Thailand has accelerated at pace since its debut in Bangkok in 2020, thanks to its heartfelt service, boldly playful design and award-winning dining offers.
The agreement is part of a long-term strategic partnership between IHG and AWC to jointly manage a portfolio of properties across Thailand featuring more than 1,200 rooms which includes the highly anticipated 302-room InterContinental Chiang Mai Mae Ping which will open this year. The announcement follows last year’s triple signing which included two hotels in Bangkok’s Chinatown – InterContinental Bangkok Chinatown and Vignette Collection Bangkok Chinatown, as well as Aquatique Pattaya, which is also part of IHG’s Vignette Collection.
A full renovation will see Kimpton Hua Hin Resort transformed from the former Imperial Hua Hin which closed in May 2019. Located on an idyllic beachfront, it will offer guests the choice of four restaurants & bars, a swimming pool, fitness centre, spa and meeting spaces.
Serena Lim, Vice President, Development, South East Asia and Korea, IHG said: “We’re delighted to partner with AWC to bring our joint vision for Kimpton Hua Hin Resort to life. As the fourth Kimpton hotel to be signed in Thailand – following Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok, Kimpton Kitalay Samui and Kimpton Khao Yai – the resort will further strengthen the brand’s positioning in Thailand and around the world, and establish it as a hotel of choice for travellers seeking one-of-a-kind experiences.
“IHG has 30 hotels in Thailand and more than 30 in the pipeline, and we are proud to continue working with AWC to grow sustainably – together – over the next few years. As travel returns, we know there are great opportunities for us throughout the country.
“Our recent IHG search data shows Hua Hin in the top 10 searched destinations in the region for international travellers. We look forward to Kimpton Hua Hin Resort quickly becoming a great success, and can’t wait to welcome both domestic and international guests through its doors in 2024.”
Wallapa Traisorat, Chief Executive Officer and President, Asset World Corporation (Plc), AWC added: “AWC is confident that Thailand’s tourism industry has a strong long-term future, so we will continue to strengthen Thailand as one of the world’s most attractive destinations. The expansion of our cooperation with IHG further diversifies our hospitality portfolio and allows us to deliver even more impressive experiences while meeting a wider array of customer demands after Thailand reopens.
“Kimpton is an exciting brand offering thoughtful design and world class restaurants & bars. It will be a great brand to introduce to Hua Hin and elevate this lifestyle destination further. We’re confident that together with a global partner like IHG Hotels & Resorts, we will continue to lift the benchmark of Thailand’s tourism industry and bring new distinctive experiences across Thailand for both domestic and international guests.”
Hua Hin has been the seaside resort destination of choice for Thai royalty for almost a century and is well-established as a cosmopolitan weekend getaway destination for local residents. It is also popular with second-home investors seeking a stylish and scenic retreat away from the city, making it an ideal location for the design-led and distinctive Kimpton brand.
A two-and-a-half hour drive from Bangkok and just ten minutes from Hua Hin Airport, the destination of Hua Hin is famed for its white sandy beaches, picturesque golf courses and nearby Kaeng Krachan national park, the largest national park in Thailand featuring waterfalls, caves and hiking trails.
Thailand continues to be a strong growth market for IHG, and the signing of Kimpton Hua Hin Resort is the latest move by the company to grow its Luxury and Lifestyle portfolio in Thailand by 50%, as well as double its estate across all of its brands, in the country by 2026.
