Best Western debuts in Mandalay
Best Western International has continued its expansion in Myanmar with the opening of its first hotel in Mandalay - the first upscale property under its brand in the country.
The company has taken over management of the existing Hotel Shwe Pyi Thar, which has now been repositioned as the Best Western Premier Hotel Shwe Pyi Thar.
This marks not only Best Western’s debut in Myanmar’s second-largest city of Mandalay, but also the launch of the first ever-upscale Best Western Premier Hotel.
Currently, the hotel offers 91 spacious rooms and suites, ranging from the 33-square-metre Superior Room to the 380-square-metre Presidential Suite. Following the rebranding to a Best Western Premier, all rooms now feature flat-screen LCD and LCT TVs and free Wi-Fi.
And the hotel’s evolution will continue with plans for a major expansion of the property. A new wing of the hotel will be constructed, adding 200 more guestrooms. The new phase is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2016.
"Mandalay is a city with a rich history and a bright future," said Ron Pohl, Best Western International’s senior vice-president of brand management.
"We are delighted to be able to enter this exciting market with such an elite property. Hotel Shwe Pyi Thar has already developed an excellent reputation. The expansion work being planned, combined with the input of our international standards of guest service, will usher in a new and exciting era for the hotel and the city."
Olivier Berrivin, managing director of the chain's international operations in Asia, added: "Myanmar is a key market for our future expansion in Southeast Asia. Having recently opened our second hotel in Yangon, Best Western Chinatown, I am thrilled that we have been able to follow this up so quickly with the launch of our first hotel in Mandalay."
The hotel will also provide options for the corporate market with a 660-square-metre ballroom, a separate conference room able to host a large business function and a 4,200-square-metre lawn for outdoor events.
The hotel chain entered Myanmar in 2013 with the launch of the Best Western Green Hill Hotel in Yangon, and last month it added its second property, Best Western Chinatown Hotel. Best Western plans to continue its expansions in the near future, including the opening of its second hotel in Mandalay and its first ever property in the country’s capital, Nay Pyi Taw.