Thistle makes waves in Asia second hotel in Malaysia

Marked the official opening of Thistle Johor Bahru, the second Thistle hotel to be opened in Asia in the last month.

With an impressive portfolio of 34 hotels across the UK and 11 in central London, the opening of Thistle Johor Bahru marks and Thistle’s aggressive plans for expansion across the region in the group’s first foray out of the UK.

The prestigious hotel, situated in one of Malaysia’s most important business districts, is located just across the border from Singapore, overlooking the Straits of Johor.

Thistle Johor Bahru’s General Manager, Philip Skitch, commented: “The standard of our hotel, Thistle Johor Bahru, is unrivalled in the city. We look forward to officially opening our doors and offering our guests something totally new in the vicinity – a luxurious mix of contemporary British style and warm Asian hospitality.”

With 381 bedrooms including 125 luxury rooms, the hotel also offers a state-of-the-art fitness centre and spa, two restaurants, two bars, tennis court, a large ballroom events space with a capacity for 650 guests, and an outdoor “resort style” swimming pool. For its long-term guests, the hotel also offers 19 apartment units for rent.

In his speech, YAB Dato’ Haji Abdul Ghani bin Othman, the state of Johor’s Chief Minister, who officially opened the hotel, said: “Each year, Johor Bahru grows in importance as an international business destination, and it is so encouraging to see brands like Thistle investing in the future growth and development of the city. The hotel will be a great success, as it provides a unique offering in luxury here.”

The hotel, which began operations in July this year, closed its doors in December 2008 to make way for approximately RM30 million (around HKD66 million) in upgrading works.

Paul Poh, Managing Director of GuocoLand Malaysia, owners of the Thistle hotels in Malaysia, also added: “Just a few weeks ago we launched Thistle Port Dickson Resort, and it’s a great feeling to see our two-year strategy for expansion materialising with the opening of our second Malaysian hotel, Thistle Johor Bahru.

“We have invested heavily in bringing our two Thistle hotel projects to life, as we believe that both destinations offer a huge amount of opportunities,” he said.

The Chief Minister also launched the Hong Leong-Kencana Race team car at the event – a 911 GT3 RSR 2008 Porsche. Thistle Johor Bahru is one of the sponsors for the Merdeka Millenium race team. The race is scheduled for 6th to 8th August at the Sepang International Circuit.

The general ambience of Thistle hotels is specially created to provide guests with Thistle’s signature warm and relaxing surrounding in a modern environment. Thistle constantly reviews its offerings to ensure that quality and service are not compromised and guests get exactly what they need.

For more information, visit thistle.com.